Fairytales Don't Always Have A Happy Ending
by Ms.R.J.Lupin
Summary: Charlie Charlotte Campbell is starting her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding Where she befirends Fred & George Weasley. However during her years at Hogwarts Charlie realises she may just feel more than friendship for Fred. R&R plz!
1. The Begining

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

"C'mon love get up." my mum called from downstairs. "Breakfast is on the table and there's a letter here for you as well."

"Alright I'm up, I'm up." I called down the stairs pulling on my night robe.

"There you go love." Said my mum putting a few slices of toast in front of me along with a thick yellow parchment letter. We both looked at it excitedly, we knew what was in it but we were still excited about it, about there. Then the shock came.

"Oh Merlin's beard! Mum look at the amount of stuff I need!" I moaned. "This lot's gonna cost a fortune!"

"Not to worry love." said mum patting my arm reassuringly. "Your grandma and granddads have chipped in, not to mention that I've been saving for this since the first time you did magic." There was a moment of silence followed by an eruption of laughter.

I should explain…

You see when young witches or wizards experience very powerful emotions they tend to perform magic without actually meaning to. Well, when I was about four and my great aunt Adelade was visiting mum and me, every chance she got she was pinching my cheeks. So finally having had enough of her using my cheeks like a bit of bubble wrap, unable to control my emotions. I set her eyebrows on fire. Ok, Ok maybe that's a slight exaggeration, I singed them. She never quite forgave me for it though and has never pinched my cheeks since. That's what I call a win, win situation I get to keep the layer of skin on my face and she gets to keep her eyebrows. Everyone's happy.

So after regaining the ability to breathe after laughing so much mum told me to go and get changed and call round to see if Jess had her letter and wanted to come shopping with us to get our Hogwarts stuff.

However, when I went round to Jesses she answered the door in floods of tears. I asked her what was wrong? And she then proceeded to tell me that her dad had got offered a job in France and that her whole family was moving there tomorrow, Jess included. Seeing that she was totally distraught, I decided to put a positive spin on the whole thing, even though inside I felt a crippling agony I told her to not be crying, I mean it wasn't really that far away. "Hell, people swim across to it every year." I joked. "If we miss each other that much we can swim across and meet each other half way!" I said forcing a laugh. This seemed to cheer her up a bit and she agreed to come to Diagon Alley to get her wand at least.

Diagon Alley was a sombre affair. Neither Jess nor I felt much like talking and mum give up trying to make small talk after the first few hundred tries. However, she cheered both Jess and me up immensely when she bought us two beautiful owls from the money she'd left over from the days shopping. "You think I'm letting you take Archimedes with you to Hogwarts!" she laughed. "Not on you nelly! At least this way you two can keep in contact." she smiled hugging Jess before she had to go home and get packing for tomorrow.

*******

"Ok Charlie, we can go now." said my mum taking my hand and running with me through the barrier to platform nine and three quarters.

"Let's go find you a seat." said my mum squeezing my hand a smiling weakly at me once we made it through the barrier to the platform.

"OK." I said.

So I went on to the train and at the bottom of the train I found an empty compartment. So after a long struggle trying to get my luggage onto the wrack I went out to say bye to mum.

"Find a compartment alright?" she asked when I got to her.

"Yeah." I said looking around at all the mothers and fathers hugging and kissing their children goodbye before they boarded the train.

"You'll write to me every week won't you?" She said drawing my attention away from the scene around us. As I looked up at mum though I seen she had tears in her eyes.

'I've been an ass' I thought to myself viciously. I'd been so wrapped up in the misery of loosing Jess that I didn't even enjoy the last month I had with mum, I mainly kept to myself to myself in my room writing letters to Jess everyday.

"Of course I will!" I said throwing my arms around her and giving her the biggest hug I could, in the attempt to apologise for being such an ass. "Mum I'm so sorry about being such a pain this last month." I said.

"It's fine honey." she said. "You're almost a teenager I should start getting use to it." she said giving a watery smile. I gave her another hug as the train was sounding.

I ran for the train, running so fast that I didn't see a trolley coming towards me and knocking me to the ground.

"I am so sorry." said a red haired boy putting out his hand to help me up.

"It's ok." I said staring into his eyes.

"FRED! Get a move on or you're going to miss the train!" Shouted a plump red haired woman coming running at us causing us to break our gaze. So we ran for the train getting caught up in the crowd of people I lost him.

Finding my compartment I sat down and nursed my knee which was aching uncomfortably, I then looked out the window and saw my mum standing at the window waving and still smiling that watery smile. I waved back fighting back the tears that was coming from both the pain in my knee and from been separated from my mum, in the past month I'd been separated from two of the people who meant the most of me. 'This was not fair' I thought bitterly to myself.

The train started to move out of the platform and I waved more and more frantically at mum until I could no longer see her then throwing myself back onto the seat I let the pain and misery over whelm me and began to cry…

A/N: Sorry if this was a bit depressing but I promise it'll improve …I hope…Please rate and review thank you ^^


	2. The Hogwarts Express

A/N I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

I'd been sitting there in tears for fifteen minutes when I'd finally managed to control myself and dried my face when there was a knock on the compartment door and it slid open and there he was. It was Fred. Then someone else walked in, what another Fred? I must of hit my head harder than I thought when I fell!

"Hey, you're the girl I knocked down with the trolley!" One of my two apparitions said. "Sorry about that again." They grinned. "Are you ok?" one of them asked looking at my tear stained face questionably.

"Yeah I'm Ok. " I said forcing a small laugh.

"Well I'm still sorry about it." one of them smiled sincerely, thinking that the reason my tear stained face was due to the accident with the trolley. "Hey is it ok if me and my brother sit in here?" one of them asked after a moment of silence. Ah now this made more sense, he had a twin, my fears for my mental health were laid to rest.

"Yeah, sure." I smiled gesturing towards the seats.

"Thanks." they said simultaneously nodding their heads in appreciation. "Well as you probably heard my mother scream earlier I'm Fred, Fred Weasley and this is my twin brother George." said Fred pointing to his twin.

"That's so cool." I said referring to the fact they were twins. "I'm Charlotte Campbell, but everyone calls me Charlie." I said smiling.

"Nice to meet you Charlie." they said.

So Fred and George began talking to each other about the best ways of annoying someone called 'Filch' and I took to looking out the window watching the countryside go by and the rain perpetually falling from the black clouds above.

After a while the compartment was in silence except for the battering of the rain against the window. Then Fred spoke. "So you an ickle firstie then?" he asked grinning.

"Yep." I replied.

"Ohhhh scary times ahead, you've to be sorted into your house yet." he said winking at George who then turned and said.

"Ohh scary isn't the word for it, Fred and I were sorted last year most terrifying thing we've ever experienced!" he said just as there was a clap of thunder outside causing me to jump out of my skin.

"Not to mention painful." Fred gave a mock shudder. I knew they were joking but as my mum hadn't told me about the sorting ceremony as she had wanted 'to make it special' I was nervous and unsure about what lay ahead of me and these two clowns were not helping!

"W-w-what did y-you have to do?" I asked them terrified.

"Oh it was awful." Said Fred in a dramatic voice. "We had to wrestle. A TROLL!" he shouted as there was another clasp of thunder causing me to jump yet again, what was with this weather? Seriously!

"And that's not the half of it." added George. "It's even worse that that because it's the trolls breeding season at this time of year!"

"And those trolls aren't fussy what they breed with." said Fred winking at and raising his eyebrows suggestively causing me to go into a fit of laughter. It felt good to laugh like this I hadn't done so since Jess left but something told me that with these two around I was going to be laughing a lot more frequently than I had done in the past while.

So after regaining our composure we all decided it was time to get changed into our robes. This was awkward with the whole trying to get the trunks down in a compartment that wasn't big enough to swing a cat in! So after Fred sustaining heavy head injuries on account of my trunk. "Hey it's only fair." he laughed. "I attack you with my trolley then it's only fair you attack me with your trunk!" We managed to extract our robes from the trunks and put them back up without anyone getting hurt, which was good. So after pulling on our robes we heard a voice announcing that we would be arriving in Hogwarts in five minutes and that we had to leave our things there and they would be brought up to the school separately. Which of course sent the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy.

When the train pulled into the station the three of us got of the train and heard a booming voice shouting. "FIRS' YEARS! THIS WAY!"

"W-w-who's that?" I asked the twins in my would be calm only for they might not be lying about the troll voice.

"That's the troll." Fred laughed. "Hey George go and get us and Lee a carriage, where is Lee by the way? I'm going to show our young friend here to the troll." he grabbed my elbow and started to pull me towards the voice.

"I haven't seen him yet, I'll look out for him though." said George making is way of in the opposite direction towards the carriages.

"Try and make sure we're not sharing a carriage with Percy. I don't feel like another lecture from that git today." Fred shouted after him.

"No Percy will do, although his head's so big it probably requires several carriages so it may be difficult!" George grinned. "Good luck with the troll Charlie!" He shouted as he ran towards the carriages..

So Fred continued to drag me towards the source of the booming voice in silence. I knew it wasn't a troll, it couldn't be. There was a few seconds of silence until Fred turned to me and said. "You know we're only joking about the troll thing right?" he asked in an amused tone.

"Yeah of course." I said in an unconvincing calm tone.

"Weasley?" The loud booming voice was right in front of us now. I looked up to see his face but found that I'd to look up twice as far from where you would usually find a mans head. I shivered involuntarily. "What're you doin' 'ere? You ain't a firs' year."

" I'm just showing my young friend here where to go, she's a first year." Fred said.

"Oh righ'" Hagrid said looking down at me, well at least I think he was his face was obscured by hair.

"OK. Charlie I've to go and find George here. If we have ended up sharing a carriage with Percy, George may have killed him by now. " he laughed. "Good luck with the sorting. I hope you get into Gryffindor if you do we'll save you a seat." he said before running on to prevent a possible murder.

"You ain't a Weasley." Hagrid said looking down at me.

"No, I'm Charlotte Campbell but everyone calls me Charlie." I said in a frightened tone. He was quite intimidating.

"I knew you couldn't be you ain't got no red hair or freckles." he laughed. "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, but everyone just calls me Hagrid." he said shaking my hand, which felt like it had come out of it's socket. Hagrid then showed me to the boats and I got in one with a boy called Commack and a girl called Cho. Neither of whom talked after the introductions were over. We were all to petrified too talk. When we got our first view of Hogwarts our faces light up in awe. The grand castle standing on top of the cliff with the waves crashing of the rocks below it and the windows all light up in welcome. It was beautiful.

When we had all gotten out of the boats Hagrid led us up the steps to the massive castle that for the next seven years was going to be our home. When we got to the top of the steps there was a rather strict looking woman waiting for us. "All the firs' years professor McGonagall." said Hagird gesturing unnecessarily towards all our frightened faces.

"Thank you Hagrid." Nodded professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall then proceeded to tell us that we would soon be sorted into our houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin and that good behaviour earned house points and rule breaking lost house points. She then left us to. "Clean ourselves up." Admittedly we did all look like drown rats absolutely soaking from head to toe because of the rain. When she came back we followed her into the great hall were a sea of faces watched our every movement. She placed a hat on top of a three legged stool and then everyone held their breath in anticipation and the hat began to chant about the qualities of each of the four houses. When it stopped there was a tremendous applause from the hall. Professor McGonagall then stepped forward and began to call us forward placing the hat on our heads and the hat would then shout out the names of the houses. It wasn't long until I was called up, damn my start of the alphabet surname! As I walked up I could hear my knees knocking together with nerves. When I sat down in the seat trying not to look up I felt slightly nauseous, I was going to be sick! Would they mind if I used the sorting hat to vomit into? The last thing I seen before the hat engulfed my head was Fred and George, they were giving me the thumbs up and smiling broadly. "Well now, this is interesting." said a voice in my head causing me to jump. "What shall we do with you my dear? You have a lot of potential indeed very good mind I see very capable but there is also your determination and loyalty I see here also and bravery indeed I see you are quite courageous and are determined to prove yourself." the voice in my head continued listing of qualities I had no idea I had. "But you also lack confidence I see well I guess I should put you in…GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted after an eternity, well it could have been less but you know how time drags when fear is taking over you.

So I walked down towards the cheering table where I saw Fred and George sitting gesturing for me to sit beside them. When I sat down beside them they both turned to me and whispered, as someone else was currently getting sorted, "Welcome to Hogwarts"…


	3. A Tour of Hogwarts

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

**So when the sorting was over and Dumbledore stood up and began talking to us. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." he boomed throughout the great hall. "There is a time for speeches but I feel as I am sure you all do that it is not now so enjoy." And with these last words the plates in front of us became laden with food and so we all tucked in. "So Charlie you're in Gryffindor, how does it feel? " Fred said turning to me with his mouth full of food.**

"**Quite a shock, actually." I admitted. "My mum and dad were in Ravenclaw and I always thought I'd be in there then. I'd no idea about the ceremony though mum didn't tell me anything about it." I said whilst grabbing another roast potato.**

"**It doesn't always work like that though." said a tall boy turning round to me. "Sorry, my name's Wood Oliver wood." he said shaking my hand. **

"**Oh hey." I smiled. "I'm Charlotte, or Charlie." **

"**Nice to meet you, no what I meant was that normally yeah, if your family was in a certain house you'd be in it too, like the Weasley twins here their family has been in Gryffindor for generations but every now and then someone will break their family tradition. Oh hey Weasleys will you guys be trying out for the Quidditch team this year? " asked Oliver **

"**Oh definitely Oliver, when are they? " asked Fred.**

"**You see Charlie, was it? Oliver here, dead cert for captian of the quidditich team, he is what you'd call a quidditichaholic that is to say he loves quidditich to a worrying extent. A very worrying extent." Teased a black boy with dreadlocks**

"**Yeah so much so he would marry it and have little quidditich babies if it were possible." said Fred in a serious voice. "Oh by the way Charlie this here," said Fred pointing to the black boy with dreadlocks. "Is our partner in crime, Lee Jordan."**

"**Listen Charlie, never take anything these berks say serious!" laughed Oliver**

"**Oliver we are deeply appalled that you would tell our new little friend here such lies!." said Fred in a offended tone. **

"**You know for that we may not try out for the team this year." Said George sticking his tongue out. **

"**See what I mean." Said Oliver grinning and rolling his eyes. **

**After we had stretched out stomachs to maximum capacity, the plates cleared themselves and Dumbledore got up and gave out all the notices and sent us on our way to bed, which I have to admit getting up to was not easy with my stomach weighing me down like a lead balloon. Whilst sitting in my room after the other three girls who I shared a dorm with called Katie, Amanda and Leanne who all seemed very pleasant had introduced themselves and went to bed . I couldn't help thinking about my first few hours at Hogwarts, the ancient castle, the mouth watering food, the people I'd met. I smiled and fell into a comfortable sleep. I was going to be happy here**

**So the first few weeks at Hogwarts were a bit stressful, however, there was also some humour involved in amongst these stressful days as one day the boy from the boat, Cormack, a girl from Slytherin called Ellen and I came running in late to history of magic twenty minutes late as the three of us had got lost but thankfully professor Binns was so involved with his lecture he didn't seem to notice the interuption. (A/N This is not a rip off of what happened to Harry Ron in the first book, this actually did happen to me and two friends one day only it was for math we were twenty minutes late …not to history of magic…obviously.) **

**Two weeks into the term and there was the quidditch tryouts. However, as I was only first year and unable to join I decided to go and watch Fred and George try out.**

"**Hey Charlie you coming?" Fred shouted up to me as I was running about my dorm trying to find my other shoe.**

"**Yeah I'll be with you in a minute. Ah there you are you little bugger." I said as I found my red converse hiding under my bed. **

"**There you are. Finally!" said George as I came running down the stairs.**

"**Yep, here I am, sorry about the wait, stupid shoe wanted a game of hide and seek." I apologised.**

"**That's ok., lets go." said Fred grinning.**

**The Quidditch try outs did not take overly long. Apart from the twins there was only a few other people trying out. The twins got through obviously, better than the rest of the potential beaters by far! They were so graceful flying through the air and they could wallop the bludger a fair distance, it was actually funny when Fred, at least I think it was Fred, hit the bludger and it missed Oliver by inches! Oliver yelled the head of him and then try outs were called to an end. **

**After try outs I was walking back up to the castle when the twins crept up behind me and each linked arms with me and guided me in the direction, away from the common room and said. "Time for a tour of **_**our**_** Hogwarts."**

"**W-where are we going?" I asked nervously as they dragged me down a corridor stopping in front of a portrait of a bowl of fruit. "Which one is it again Fred?" asked George.**

"**The pear I think." **

"**Damn you'd think after the many times we raided this place last year we'd remember it." laughed George tickling the pear on the portrait. The door then swung open revealing a kitchen full of mouth watering smells. **

"**Mr Weasleys sirs how lovely to see the two of you." squeaked a little house elf smiling brightly as he saw Fred and George "And you have brought a friend, how lovely. Can we get you anything to eat?"**

"**You can indeed." said Fred brightly. **

**So the little house elf ran of and returned minutes later with a plate full of ham, chicken and roast meat sandwiches and another house elf following him brought a tray carrying different varieties of ice creams." **

"**What can I say Bo, you're brilliant!" George said whilst grabbing a handful of sandwiches.**

"**Thank you Mr Weasley sir, you are most kind." said the elf bowing before walking away to join the rest of the elves.**

"**Tuck in Charlie." said Fred nodding at the food. **

**As we set there in the kitchen surrounded by the buzz of the house elves working away the three of us started talking about everything and anything. Fred and George asked me what I thought of the different classes and laughed as I referred to the potions master, professor Snape, as an 'over grown bat in need of a hair wash' as he'd taken twenty points of Gryffindor because my potion wasn't the right shade of purple…well admittedly I also suggested he borrow my glasses to look at it as it was the shade described in the book…which cracked the twins up even more. They also cracked up when refering to history of magic I said. "Oh snooze fest!" which was true as I didn't sleep much last week due to being so excited I couldn't turn my brain of so I used professor Binns voice as a sleeping remedy, and it worked may I add!**

**After eating three more plates of sandwiches which the house elves willingly brought to us Fred suggested that we head back to the common room as they needed to get ready for detention with professor McGonagall. "How the hell could you have detention, we've only been back two weeks!" I asked amused.**

"**Exactly!" laughed Fred. "We had to let dear old Mr Filch know how much we missed him during the holidays"**

"**By treating him to his own private fire works display." added George **

"**Only problem is he didn't really seem to appreciate our little gesture and brought us to McGonagall." laughed Fred. "and then she gave us this lecture on proper behaviour and weekend detention."**

"**Oh that sucks." I laughed**

"**It does indeed, my little friend, it does indeed." said Fred ruffling my neat dark brown hair into a mess.**

"**HEY!" I yelled**

"**Sorry ..sorry." laughed Fred. "Let me fix it for you." he said pulling a comb from his pocket.**

"**you carry a comb around in your pocket?" I said raising an eye brow. "Vain much?"**

"**Never mind that." he said tuning me around and running the comb through my hair, when he'd finished I caught my reflection in the window…my hair was green! Bright fluorescent lime frigging green! "WEASLEY!" I shouted and ran after him as he had already bolted it round the corner so as I finally caught him and tackled his ass to the ground we went flying into an armoured suit sending it flying to the ground with a deafening crash. **

"**Who's there, is that you peeves? I'll have you out of here so fast if it is!" shouted the one and only Filch down the corridor as Fred, George and I bolted it up the stairs and round the corner into the common room and threw ourselves into three free chairs gasping for breath.**

"**What've you three been doing?" asked Lee with wide eyes as he seen my new hair style.**

"**Nothing." We giggled….**


	4. New Friends & Christmas

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

"Rightio Charlie we've got to get going here or other wise McGonagall will end us and make it look like and accident." said George getting up of the chair and heading towards the portrait.

"Yeah we'd better get a move on, but wait up for us please and mean time wash that stuff out of your hair." laughed Fred. "Or it'll seep through to your brain." he laughed sticking his tongue out before going out through the portrait.

So after receiving many stares on my way I finally got to the shower and washed my hair and mercifully it came out first wash so dried my hair and made my way back to the common room.

As I had a bit of homework to do for Monday I decided I may as well do it now while I was waiting for the twins to return. I headed up to my dorm to lift my school bag and headed back down stairs. On the way down I bumped into Amanda, one of the girls in my dorm.

"Hey, Charlie what you up to?" She smiled.

"Nothing really just going to attempt to get some of this homework done." I sighed gesturing to my school bag.

"Ah right, do you mind if I tag along and do some of mine as well?" She asked earnestly.

"Yeah sure, no problem." I smiled as she ran up to the dorm to get her bag.

Shortly after that we were seated in two chairs in the corner of the common room and attempting to do some homework. After two painfully long hours I threw my quill down and sighed. "To hell with it it's not due to Tuesday!"

"I've just finished mine so yay!" said Amanda laughing at the glare I'd just given her. "You can copy it if you want, altering it a bit obviously." she suggested sliding the parchment over towards me.

"Thanks for the offer." I smiled appreciatively. "But Professor Snape would probably know it wasn't completely my own work."

"Yeah I suppose. So what do you think of Hogwarts so far?" She asked

"I dunno really. I mean I like it and all, just not really enjoying some of the lessons that much except maybe Defense Against The Dark Arts, Professor O'Hagan is pretty cool but most of the other teachers can be strict." I said.

"Yeah I know what you mean, but Snape taking points of you the other day was hilarious, my whole face went red from trying not to laugh! " she giggled.

"Oh that's why he told you go get out!" I laughed.

"yep." she grinned broadly. "he probably thought I was going to pass out or something. "

"Nice one." I grinned back. "So where you from anyway?" I asked her. Amanda seemed like a really nice girl but no one had really taken the time to get to know her Katie and Leanne knew each other already their mums had been good friends or something, I had the twins, my mouth cracked into an involuntary smile at that thought, but poor Amanda hadn't really anyone, the amount of times I'd seen her sitting on her own in class, there were normally tables of three in a row in the classrooms and Katie and Leanne always asked me to sit beside them. We continued on with the conversation and as it turned out we had a lot in common both liked the same types of music, music was my passion…I loved to listen to it, I wasn't very good at it though. Both liked the same books and both grew up around muggles. And as it turns out she had lived in the town next to me growing up. After a while of talking about our lives before Hogwarts, all 11 of them, Amanda yawned and waved me goodnight and headed up to the dorm.

Seconds after the dorm door closed I heard the common room door open and Fred and George came bounding in and jumping onto the couch where I had been sitting previous with Amanda. "Hello Charlie." George beamed at me.

"Thanks for waiting up little buddy." said Fred ruffling my hair, again.

"Hey I know I'm about two foot shorter than you two bu-stay away from me with that comb!" I yelled leaping over the couch as Fred pulled put the same comb he had used earlier. This sent the twins into hysterics. Then Fred helped me up and pulled me on to the couch beside him and George and they produced a bundle of food and laid it on the table and said. "Tuck in." After our midnight feast we decided to call it a night and go to bed as we continually kept laughing and I was afraid of waking people up!

The next few months at Hogwarts were some of the best of my life, Fred and George kept me amused with pranks and stories of their old ones, the lessons themselves were becoming more challenging which was great! I didn't even realise it was near Christmas until I seen Hagrid coming in with the trees and there was snow falling outside, the sight of all this set me on such a high during that day that I didn't even mind Fred, George and Lee pelting me with snow balls or Snape giving us yet another essay to do

Christmas break came and as I was passing it with my mum I went home over the break. It was amazing to see mum again I got of the train and seen her waiting there. I ran and gave her the biggest hug ever, the two of us sobbing uncontrollably, we wrote to each other during the term but there's nothing that can compare to that sense of security and unequivocal love you feel when you're being hugged by your mum.

"I missed you so much" I cried kissing her and giving her another hug.

"I missed you too love. Don't go back next term, I'll teach you at home!" She laughed whilst sobbing. "I don't think I could stand to be separated from my Charlie again." she cried kissing me on the forehead. I'd never felt more happy in my entire life as she held my hand as we got into the taxi to go home.

When we got home I saw she had no decorations up yet, which was strange because mum normally would have had them up by now.

"It didn't seem right putting them up without you." she said as if reading my thoughts. She squeezed my hand tight.

We spent the night putting up the tree and decorating it. When we had done that it was after midnight so mum made me some hot chocolate and read me my favourite story before I went to bed, 'The fountain of Fair Fortune' by Beedle the Bard.

Christmas day was amazing! Mum woke me up early and we had a really nice breakfast and opened our presents, because mum and me weren't big into the whole commercialisation that has become Christmas we bought each other one present each, it was so much better than wasting money on meaningless presents when all we really needed was one to show how much we cared.

Mum bought me a beautiful diary, she knew I liked to write, and I bought mum a book she had been after for a while. Nan sent me a beautiful pink fluffy nightgown, she was a muggle and didn't really have a lot of money. I opened Jesses present it was a photo of us two when we were seven sitting on the stairs in her house with our arms round each other, waving and laughing. It was in a beautiful photo frame, blue crystal with white flowers running up the side of the frames and red rubies in the middle of the petals. I dried my eyes quickly and saw that I'd another present. I opened it and saw a jumper fall out of it along with a box of chocolates, it was a present from the twins. I couldn't help but smile as I put on the jumper which was blue and hand knitted and headed to visit my Nan to help make the Christmas dinner.

As I entered the kitchen my nose was met with all the familiar smells, the turkey cooking the fresh pine of the real tree my Nan has up in the kitchen which was glistening with the lights and humming Christmas tunes and the snow falling outside. "There's my girl!" Said Nan as I ran to give her a hug. As I looked around and was being hugged and smothered with kisses by Nan I got this amazing sense of happiness, Christmas was really my favourite time of the year…


	5. A different side to the Prankster

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

The Christmas holidays passed by in a flash and in no time I was on my way back to Hogwarts with my two best friends.

I'd written to Fred and George over the holidays to thank them for the present, they'd went home as well, they'd told me all about their Christmas and how their mum had gotten very mad when they gave Percy a 'head deflation spell' for Christmas. "Apparently she didn't think it was a suitable gift!" Fred had wrote in the letter. We'd arranged to meet at the common room entrance at half twelve in the afternoon, I'd to travel by the Knight Bus to get back to Hogwarts (not a fun experience).

As I ran up towards the potrait of the fat lady I saw Fred standing there waving and grinnig.

"RUN!" he shouted sticking his tongue out at me, God I missed him, but where was George?

"Hey." I said smiling at him, "Where's George"

"He went to see Madam Pomfrey, said he wasn't feeling well." He replied. "I told him I'd come up here and meet you and then we'd head down to see how he was."

So we went down to see how he was, he looked awful! Madam Pomfrey told us he had a nasty bout of the flu and would probably not be out of here until next week, but it wasn't really anything to worry about.

We stayed with George until Madam Pomfrey kicked us out. "You've been in here for eight hours! The poor boy needs rest!" she yelled shoving us out of the door!

"Yeah like he's gonna get any with that old bat yelling!" Fred glared at the door.

"Don't worry about it, we'll go and see him tomorrow alright?." I patted him on the arm.

"Yeah." he smiled back. "Shall we go and get some food?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure" .

So we went to the kitchen and the house elves provided us with food and we sat and talked to them for a while. It was around half eleven when we returned to the common room, carrying more food so we sat down on a sofa and started eating the food. Fred was staring sullenly into the fire, this wasn't the Fred I knew.

"What's up?" I asked

"What d'you mean?" he retorted

"You seem really down, don't worry about George you heard Madam Pomfrey he's gonna be fine, hell he gets to miss class for a week, he's doing better than us!" I joked.

"Yeah" he laughed dryly. He continued to stare into the fire, then after a while he blurted out.

"I'm really sorry Charlie."

"What about?" I asked confused.

"The presents you got us for Christmas were lovely. I'm real sorry we couldn't get you much, it's just that… " he broke of mid sentence and went back to staring at the fire. "It's just that my family don't have a lot of money and…I hate it, I hate being made fun of, I hate not being able to afford anything I hate seeing my parents suffer, it's not right Charlie, they're lovely people and yet they constantly do without to get stuff for us, I HATE IT!" he yelled angrily I could see the tears coming down his face now, he looked so helpless. There was really nothing I could say so I gave him a hug to try and comfort him.

"Thanks." he said.

We sat in silence for a while when he turned to me and said. "George and me have a plan though."

"Let's hear it then." I smiled.

"We're going to open up a joke shop and give the profits to mum and dad." he said so earnestly, I couldn't helped but be moved by his affection for his parents. After he explained how they intended on doing all this, he looked at his watch. "WHAT!" he yelled, making me jump, "Charlie it's half two in the morning! We need to go to sleep!" he said getting up of the couch and hiding any evidence of our midnight feast in the fire. As we walked up to our dormitories he grabbed my wrist and said. "Thank you Charlie. I don't know what it is about you but I can talk to you and you actually listen, thanks." he said hugging me before We went up to our dorms.

Fred never mentioned his outburst to me the next day and I didn't want to make him uncomfortable by bringing it up so we went to visit George in the Hospital Wing again and we sat and sneaked him some of the food that the house elves had given us in the kitchens.

Within a week George was back to his old self joking and laughing and the twins were back to their quidditich training as they had an up coming match against Hufflepuff, which meant I hardly ever got to see them because they were always at training or in detention but the match against Hufflepuff was amazing! Due to the fact that the team flattened Hufflepuff 220 to 0 it was an amazing match! However we were not so lucky in the final against Slytherin, 190 to 150. Slytherin had scored 19 goals but our seeker, McMahon caught the snitch.

At the end of my first year, which came surprisingly quickly, I was sad to be leaving the castle and the friends I'd made that year but I couldn't wait to see my mum again, I missed her so much! Fred and George told me that I would be coming to stay at theirs as they weren't going to go two months without seeing me. I also told Amanda and Lee I'd visit them as they both lived quite close to me.

"MUM!" I screamed throwing myself round my mums neck and not letting go.

"CHARLIE!" my mum cried hugging my and swinging me around. "Ready for the summer"

"Hell yes!" I smiled at her. I spotted Fred and George over with their family "Hey mum I want you to meet my two best friends." I said taking her hand and taking her over to talk to Fred, George and the rest of their family before we went home…


	6. Summer

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

The summer holidays were awesome! I stayed over and Fred and Georges for a week at the end of July and we had so much fun. Their family is so lovely. Ginny, their younger sister is so cute I stayed in her room as Mrs. Weasley, one of the nicest women ever, had no objection to me staying over but she drew the line at the twins and I sleeping in the same room. But Ginny was so cute always asking questions about Hogwarts and the spells and all. Their younger brother Ron was really sweet as well but very shy so he mainly kept himself to himself. Percy was just as pompous as ever and even more so because whilst I was staying with the twins our Hogwarts letters arrived and Percy had been made a prefect.

When we went up to the twins bedroom Fred slammed the door and rammed his fist into it. "He's going to be unbearable now, Charlie can we stay with you for the rest of the summer please?" He pleaded.

"I can't see your mum letting you stay the entire four weeks but for a week I can't see why not." I laughed as George had taken to hitting his head repetitively of his headboard.

"That's good enough!" he exclaimed. "You know what Percy's like he's not going to shut up about this for the rest of the summer!"

As I'd predicted Mrs. Weasley said 'Not a hope' to the twins staying at my house for the rest of the holidays but they were able to stay for a week which was really fun as during that week the twins, Lee, Amanda and I went to the cinema and to Diagon Alley to get all our stuff for next year. But the cherry on top of my perfect summer was Jess came to visit, I hadn't heard from her in a while and when the twins and I got back to my house one day there was Jess with a big smile on her face. I dropped all the bags I was carrying and ran to give her a hug we both fell through the door way because at the same time as I tackled Jess mum had opened the door. When we gathered ourselves up of the floor we looked at each other and burst out laughing! It was just like old times.

"So who's this?" asked Fred

"Oh sorry guys, this is my friend Jess, the one I was telling you about"

"Ah yes," said George. "The one who moved to France."

"Yep" I smiled looking at Jess, it was so great to see her again. "Anyway sorry Jess, these two are Fred and George, friends of mine from school." I pointed to the twins who waved at Jess.

"Oh wow!" She grinned. "You two are identical!"

"Not if you look closely." Fred Smirked. "I'm the better looking one." he winked.

"Yeah in your dreams" George laughed giving his twin a gentle shove to the ground.

As Jess stayed for two weeks we hung out everyday and went into town and the twins visited a few times, to be honest I think George had a bit of a thing for Jess he was always making jokes around her, which for the twins isn't a weird thing but for George on his own it was a bit weird as he was the quieter of the two! When Jess went home there was a week left before I went back to school so Mum and I made the most of our remaining week by visiting my grandparents and doing silly things around the house like hide and seek a muggle game which is really fun espically if you play it with your mum and two of your best friends as Fred and George had called round that day …


	7. Scared

The first day of Second year was chaotic to say the least. Mum and I had both slept into Ten and the train was due to leave at eleven, 'this is going to be fun!' I thought to myself. We made it to the train eventually arriving at five to eleven as we had to get a taxi so I bolted through to platform nine and three quarters and didn't see the twins anywhere around but I saw Mrs Weasley with little Ginny (whose face was tear stained) who informed me that the twins were on the train so after hastily hugging mum goodbye and promising to write her a letter the moment I got to Hogwarts I sprinted for the train, grinning at what had happened this time last year when I was sprinting for the train.

"CHARLIE!" Yelled Lee Jordan jumping out of the compartment in front of me with a spider in his hand when I got onto the train.

"Bloody hell Lee." I gasped. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Is that Charlie!" I heard a voice from within the compartment from which Lee had jumped out of.

"It is indeed George my dear!" I said stepping into the compartment to give him and Fred a hug.

"Guess who started school this year Charlie?" Asked Fred after I sat down.

"I dunno, who?" I said

"Guess!" he teased.

"Your brother Ron." I guessed. I vaguely remembered the twins saying something to me about Ron starting school this year.

"Yeah but guess who else." said George.

"I dunno guys come on tell me already!"

"Harry Potter."

"You're joking!" I said astounded, Harry Potter, the boy who lived I may have only been a year older than him but like everyone else in our world I knew his story and regarded his name with reverence.

"No." grinned Fred. "This is one of those rare times when we're not joking."

"How did you meet him?" asked Lee

"He was walking behind us at the station and then when we were walking down the train trying to find a compartment we saw him struggling to put up his luggage so we helped him and then after we got it up he pushed his hair out of his face and we saw his scar."

"Wow!" Lee and I said astounded.

So we sat and talked about what house we thought Harry Potter was going to be in and all the ideas we had to annoy the hell out of Filch. Then after a while Fred said. "Come on George lets see how ickle Ronniekins is doing." They left leaving Lee and I in the compartment which with his spider was not a pleasant experience.

Lee and I had just started a game of exploding snap when the twins returned laughing to themselves. "I don't believe it our Ron friends with Harry Potter!" laughed George stepping in to the compartment.

"I know I can't believe it either!" grinned Fred.

"Who's friends with who now?" I asked looking up from the game. The twins then commenced telling the story of them walking in with Harry Potter and Ron sitting in the compartment talking to each other.

"That's awesome!" I said momentarily looking up at Fred and unfortunately at this moment the cards exploded! The rest of the journey to Hogwarts was fun with us all filling up on snacks from the lunch trolley and then around two Amanda found us and the two of us caught up on what all had been happening since I last seen her during the summer.

When we arrived at Hogwarts Fred, George, Lee, Amanda and I got into a carriage and headed up to the great hall where we awaited the sorting of the first years which just about took forever! Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor as was the twins younger brother Ron but after these two had been sorted I began to get agitated and wanted food!

"I'm sorry." I muttered to Fred as some timid looking first year was being sorted.

"What about." asked Fred in a confused tone.

"That I kept you waiting this long to get food last year to get food while we got sorted!" I said as Zabini Blaize was sorted into Slytherin bringing the ceremony to an end.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it my dear." he laughed as food appeared on the plates and we began to tuck in.

After we all got fed and watered Dumbledore had us sing the school song which I out of respect for the surrounding windows did not participate in! Fred and George however, were the last two to stop singing and would of dragged it out longer only I nudged them in the sides to shut up!

Tired and full of food we marched up the stairs and entered the common room where I bid Fred, George and Lee goodnight I then headed up to my own bed and fell asleep immediately.

The first few weeks back were fun, being a second year I had the advantage of knowing where everything was this year, well where all my classes were at least! On the first morning I got my timetable of McGonagall, my timetable for the first morning wasn't too bad I had charms first class then double transfiguration followed by potions then after that defence against dark arts and finally double history of magic. "Well at least after a hard day you can have a nice little nap in history of magic." Laughed Fred looking at my timetable.

In the second week Oliver Wood came running up to me on my way to charms and asked. "Hey Charlie, you trying out this year? " He asked with his shinny new quidditch captain badge gleaming on his chest.

"Nah Oliver, flying and me don't really go together." I laughed recalling my flying lessons last year and at The Burrow during the summer which had been abysmal to say the least! "Congratulations on making captain by the way." I grinned

"Thanks" he said smiling broadly. "I got to go here but do me a favour if you see the twins tell them training is on Monday night!"

"Will do." I laughed as I watched him running to catch up with Angelina Johnson, a girl in the same year as Fred and George and who was on the team as well. About a week later Fred and George came up to me in the dining hall and sat beside me with an air of great excitement.

"Can you keep a secret Charlie?" asked Fred

"Yes I can."

"Harry Potter is on the Quidditch team as seeker!" whispered Fred excitedly

"He must be good" I said awestruck.

"According to Wood he's brilliant!" said George. "but like we said it's a secret so you can't tell anyone!"

"I won't I promise."…

In no time at all it was Halloween and Fred and George loved this holiday, Filch on the other hand did not and as Fred, George and I had been hiding behind the suits of Armour one night coming up to Halloween and jumping out at unsuspecting passers-by, Filch unfortunately was one of them and he threatened to flay us alive but had to make do with bringing us to McGonagall who gave us detentions in which we had to clean all the suits of armour in the castle the following weekend, without magic! "Couldn't she have just let Filch flay us alive, it would have been quicker! " moaned George!

"I know!" Fred and I moaned!

The detention was not a pleasant experience as after two hours of scrubbing the suits of armour we were still no further on and my elbows throbbed painfully! The twins decided however to lighten the mood a bit with a water fight. I was not amused. Eventually after six hours of cleaning (it would have been four but we had to redo the ones on the second and third floor seeing as Peeves decided to decorate them in ink) we were finished!

Halloween was a rather eventful day! In the classes worked on with our wok but then in charms as it was the last class of the day Professor Flitwick passed around a box of Berttie Botts every flavoured beans, I was lucky enough to get strawberry! Then at the feast we got a shock when professor Quirell came running in to the hall shouting something about a troll in the dungeon! Dumbledore immediately gave orders to everyone to get safely back to their common rooms.

On the way to the common room I was pushed over couldn't get up with everyone pushing and shoving and I had been lying on the floor for five minutes and I was starting to get really frightened when I felt someone pull me up, it was Fred and George, I'd no time to thank them as they grabbed my hands and dragged me along the corridors until we got to the common room.

"Are you alright Charlie?" George asked.

"Yeah I'm fine?" I said rubbing my ankle, just before the twins rescued me someone stamped on my ankle and it was still aching uncomfortably.

"You scared us." said Fred in a quiet voice. Staring into the fire.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to it's just that I couldn't get up with everyone around me, I was scared. I don't know what I'd of done if you hadn't found me. Thank you" I said putting my hand on his arm and smiling at George in appreciation.

"George and me had got to the common room door and seen that you weren't with us anymore and we waited for a bit, you hadn't been that far behind us so when you didn't come back we went and looked for you, we were terrified too, with that stupid troll going about the place Merlin knows what could of happened you!" finished Fred giving me a hug.

"Shit Fred!" said George in a panicky voice.

"What?" replied Fred in an annoyed tone.

"Where's Ron?" asked George with that panicky tone still in his voice. "I've looked all around and I can't see him or Harry, he was with him at the feast."

"Shit!" Fred and I said simultaneously looking around but at the same moment the of the common room opened and Ron, Harry and a first year girl I knew to see called Hermionie Granger entered together smiling sheepishly at each other.

"Well thank Merlin for that." Fred sighed putting his head in his hands. "I'm heading to bed, I'm alll for the excitement but tonight-" he finished shaking his head and leaning in to give me a hug and walking on up to his dorm.

"I'll be up in a bit." George called after him. Fred put his hand up over his shoulder to indicate that he got his brothers message.

"Come on I want to tell Ron off for being a prize prat and scaring us half to death!" George grinned

"Come on that's not fair you didn't tell me off." I laughed.

"Yeah but you're different you're our friend, Rons's family there's certain privileges concerned when it comes to family." he grinned.

"Hey Ron, where the hell where you!" George shouted at Ron from across the room.

"Huh?" Asked Ron blankly.

"What took you so long to get back you prat!" he said irritated now reaching Ron

"I didn't know you cared." Ron said sarcastically looking at Hermionie who was smiling at him, with what looked like an expression of gratitude.

"I don't, but you know who mum'll blame if anything happens to you, that's right Fred and me so what happened."

"Nothing." Ron said looking at Harry for support.

"Whatever. Just take care of yourself alright? Mum will kill Fred and I if anything happens to you!" He said walking away and throwing himself onto the couch and sighing. "Fred wasn't lying you know we were terrified." he said after a while. "We mightn't act like it at times what with getting you into detention and playing pranks on you and all but we do care about you. You're like a little sister to us."

"I know. You and Fred are my best friends and I honestly don't know what I would do with out you two," I sighed and decided to tell George exactly how much his and Fred's friendship meant to me. "You know the day I first met you on the Hogwarts Express?" George nodded his head. "I was miserable, in the month prior to going to Hogwarts my best Friend Jess moved to France and then I was going to Hogwarts and leaving mum on her own. You see my dad was killed by death eaters when mum was pregnant with me so it's always just been me and mum. I was so use to having her there to protect me and I was scared of going to Hogwarts because I'd loose that." I broke of, it was the first time I'd ever told anyone, except Jess about dad. "Then I met you two." I grinned. "And although I still miss mum and Jess, being with you two makes everything alright." I smiled looking up at George who was looking me straight in the eyes and the next thing I know I was being enveloped in a massive hug.

"I'd no idea about your dad, I'm sorry." he whispered still holding me.

"It's OK, those were dark times and a lot of people lost someone they loved."

"Still doesn't make it fair though." He sighed letting go of me.

We sat in silence for a while then George decided he was going to head to bed and I soon followed. 'What an interesting day' I thought as I drifted into a quiet, peaceful sleep with a smile on my face….


	8. Hogesmade

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

In next to no time it was Christmas which luckily for the twins meant another trip to Hogsmeade, they'd been once before but only stayed long enough to buy half the Zonkos shop on account of me being second year and not yet being allowed to go.

"Hey Charlie." whispered Fred in my ear as we set down for breakfast in the great hall.

"What."

"After breakfast come up to our dorm, we'd go up to yours but it isn't allowed."

"OK. Why?" I asked.

"Just do it ok and quick George and I want to get into Hogsmeade soon." He replied

So after I ate my breakfast I headed up to the twins dorm, which was empty except for the twins both of whom where wearing identical smirks.

"Right. What's up?" I asked

"Well my brother here and I have decided that you deserve a trip into Hogsmeade." Said George in a very matter of fact tone.

"And exactly how do you propose we do that?" I asked. "Seeing as I can't go until next year."

"That's what you think." winked George.

"Explain." I pleaded

"George show her." said Fred grinning broadly.

George pulled out what looked like a spare bit of parchment and touched it with his wand and said "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." at this words began appeared on the page:

'Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

are proud to present

THE MARAUDER'S MAP'

"WOW" I said looking at the map in awe. "How, when-"

"First year, nicked it from Filch after we got in a teensy spot of bother." Geroge grinned

"As wonderful as no doubt this map is," I said looking at all the moving little names on the map I could see Amanda in the library, I grinned only she would be in the library on a Saturday, "How is it going to get me into Hogsmeade."

"Well there are seven passages that lead directly to Hogsmeade but since Filch knows about four of them and another one is directly above the Whomping Willow, and as much as we like a challenge we aren't risking your life." said Fred. "So there're two passage ways that we like to use and we believe that you'll like to use them too." Fred grinned.

"But how, what if people recognise me?" I asked.

"Just keep a scarf up above your mouth and head down. Oh and it'd be better if you didn't walk so close to us as well as people know you hang out with us, a lot." suggested George

"I really don't know guys, seriously, I'd get in a lot of trouble if I got caught."

"We'd be in a lot of trouble." Corrected Fred. "Come on Charlie, no one's going to see you, your scarf's going to be obscuring most of your face it's snowing so everyone'll probably be in 'The Three Broomsticks' having some warm butter beer, you head back a bit before us and nobody's any the wiser come on Charlie please!" pleaded Fred and I was unable to resist.

"Ok, Ok." I laughed as Fred jumped me with a hug.

"YAY!" George beamed. "Let's go then. Charlie go get a coat, scarf, gloves and some money and tell your friend Amanda or anyone else you meet that you're going for a walk around the grounds if they ask you where you're going and we'll be waiting for you on the fourth floor, it would be safer as it comes out in an old tunnel in a side street in Hogsmeade rather than to come in through Honeydukes, which would be crowded."

When I got to the fourth floor after retrieving my stuff Fred pushed the mirror aside. "Ladies first." he grinned. I entered the tunnel and was shortly followed by Fred and George. When we were all in the tunnel George, being the last one in pulled the mirror over behind him, we all muttered "Lumous" and the tunnel was dimly light and we began to walk.

It took us a while to reach Hogsmeade but when we came out into the side street Fred and George turned to me and said. "Right Charlie, stay a bit out of our way but within our line of vision so we can see each other and you'll know when we're leaving a particular shop and keep the scarf up and nice and high you'll not look out of place either in this snow either!" Fred grinned pulling up my scarf brushing my cheek with his hand as he did and as he did I felt my cheek tingle, which I couldn't explain.

The twins began to walk on and I waited until they had got around the corner before pursuing them. The first stop was Zonkos where they meet up with Lee Jordan and naturally, they bought the entire shop! We then headed to Honeydukes were I bought some peppered imps and lemon balls and chocolate. We then decided as it was too blustery to do anything I'd go back to Hogwarts while the twins would follow me shortly. On the way back to the side street I found a small shop called 'Trinkets' in the window I saw a beautiful silver necklace with a blue diamond on it in the shape of a fairy I decided as my mum didn't have any proper jewellery I'd buy her it for Christmas I went into the shop and bought the necklace and at the same time I spotted a tiny figurine of a tiny girl with two boys sitting at the base of a tree. The girl was in the middle and had curly brown hair and the two boys on either side had red hair, it reminded me so strongly of a memory I had of the previous summer of the twins and I sitting at the base of a tree in the orchard laughing about Fred and George telling Percy on no uncertain terms where he could stick his Prefect badge when he came into their room to tell them that'd this year they'd better fall in line at school this year as hebwas now prefect, when we'd been in there arranging the next time the twins would come to my house. I decided I would get it for them for Christmas between them as I'd already gotten them a large box of chocolate frogs each in Honeydukes plus several boxes of no heat fireworks from Zonkos, which the twins were carrying in their bags as they decided it would be a bit of a give away if I was seen carrying bags with the Zonkos and Honeydukes logos into Hogwarts. However I could of cried when I looked at the price of the figurine it was 2 galleons and I only had one. Sorely disappointed I walked to the tunnel and began to walk back to Hogwarts.

I went back to the common room to wait for the twins. When I entered the common room I spotted Amanda by the fire I went over to talk to her for a while, I hadn't talked to her in a while.

"Hey how're you?"

"Oh hey Charlie, I'm OK. Where've you been all day?"

"Oh I just walked around the grounds, lost track of time." I said dismissively. "What're you doing for Christmas?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Oh nothing much I'm going home for it this year."

"Ah cool, come over one day sure because I'm going home as well."

"Oh I will!" she said brightly

"CHARLIE!" Came Freds booming voice from behind me. "My dear how we've missed you!" he said wrapping me in a hug.

"I hope you weren't too lonely without us." said George in a tone of mock concern. "Hey Amanda." acknowledged George with a nod of his head.

"Hey." Amanda smiled nervously. "I'm going to head to the library to pick up a book to read." she added quickly getting up.

"Are you sure? Do you want me to come with you." I asked.

"Nah it's ok." She smiled heading for the door.

"Quite a quiet kid isn't she." said Fred looking after her.

"Yeah, she's lovely though and really funny." I said in her defence.

"Yeah. " said George. "Anyway Charlie here's the stuff you bought so keep it up in your dorm and if anybody asks we bought it for you." He winked.

After I ran up and put my stuff in my room I came down the stairs and sat beside the twins in a corner of the common room.

"So you have a good day?" asked Fred.

"Yeah Hogesmade is beautiful but I definitely won't risk it again until next year when I can actually go! It was no fun constantly worrying that people would see and not being able to talk and laugh with you two." I admitted.

"Ah poor Charlie miss her friends today." asked Lee coming into the corner and sitting down beside us.

"Yeah." I said not looking at Fred or George…


	9. Gifts

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

Christmas came and went and it was an amazing Christmas, even better than the previous Christmas.

On Christmas Day I woke up and ran into mum to wake her and we both went down the stairs to our small stash of presents. Mum loved her present, "It's beautiful." she gasped hugging me.

She got me a beautiful teddy bear, childish I know but when I was younger I was really ill and had to go to hospital and the healer who was looking after me was lovely and when I got out she gave me a teddy bear, only a few years later I lost him and the teddy mum bought me looked just like my old teddy. "Thank you mum." I beamed and hugged her. Jess bought me a lovely perfume which smelt like orchids, it was beautiful! Nan had bought me a beautiful purple dress which was slightly too big on me in certain areas, two certain areas to be precise.

After I finished opening mums, Jess and my grandparents presents I seen I'd two more present. One I suspected was from Mrs. Weasley and the twins but who was the other one from? It couldn't be Amanda or Lee I'd told them specifically I'd hex them to hell and back if they bought me one. I opened the first one it was indeed from Mrs. Weasley it was another jumper, yellow this time. There was also a box of homemade fudge from her as well. I then opened the second present. I gasped, it was the figurine of the little girl and the two boys I saw in the shop. There was a note as well.

_Dearest Charlie,_

_We were walking to the tunnel when we noticed the little shop called 'Trinkets' We decided to step in a see if there was something suitable there for mum, instead we saw this 'figurine' (as the lady in the shop told us it was called) and immediately thought of you so we bought it, hope you like it. _

_All the love,_

_Fred & George. _

_Ps. Happy Christmas._

Tears were streaming down my cheeks, I couldn't believe it. I ran upstairs and pulled out a bit of parchment and immediately began to write a thank you note, which when I was finished read:

_Dear Fred & George,_

_Thank you so much for the present, it's exactly what I wanted! It's beautiful! _

_Hope you're having a good Christmas. _

_Love,_

_Charlie._

_Ps. Tell your mum thanks so much for the jumper and fudge, it's delicious! _

After I finished the letter I sent it away with Jason, my owl and pulled on a pair of jeans with the jumper Mrs Weasley had sent me and headed to my Nans to enjoy the rest of this magical day.

When I got back to Hogwarts after Christmas break Fred and George were waiting for me in the common room.

"Hey!" I said hugging them both at the same time. "Thank you so much for the present it was amazing seriously, thank you!" I beamed.

"Not at all, not at all!" laughed Fred. "I see you liked the other present as well." he grinned looking at my jumper I was wearing, which was of course the jumper Mrs. Weasley sent me.

"Oh, yeah." I blushed noticing that the twins were wearing their jumpers as well.

"Hey Charlie!" I heard Amanda call behind me.

"Hey Amanda!" I said hugging her. "Good Christmas?"

"Yeah it was good, sorry I couldn't get over but my parents seem to think Christmas time is strictly family time. Look what they bought me!" she said showing us the camera .

"Oh wow, that's cool!" I said

"Thanks." She beamed. "Hey could I get a photo of you and the twins?!" she blushed

"Of course!" said Fred and George simultaneously and both wrapping their arms around my waist and squeezing me in a the middle of them and putting their chins on my shoulders and posing for Amanda to take the picture. After Amanda took the picture George offered to take one of Amanda and me.

"I'll have these developed in awhile and give you each a copy of the one of you three. See you Charlie, Fred, George" she said blushing and running of.

"So how was Christmas at Hogwarts?" I asked after I watched Amanda run out the common room door.

"Lousy." said Fred.

"So we had to liven in up a bit with the fireworks you gave us." said George

I laughed and shook my head…


	10. Surprise Post

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

With Term started it was back to work which was stressful. "How in the name of Merlin am I going to cope with OWLs if I can't cope with this!" I muttered angrily in the library one evening in March to Amanda as we were trying to get through a piece of homework McGonogall have given us.

"Don't get stressed out about it!" consoled Amanda. "Just read the notes and it's pretty self explanatory."

"Right." I sighed picking up my notes and reading them and after two hours I finally got the homework done. So I decided to go down and watch the twins in quidditch practice and asked Amanda to join me. I thought she might have a thing for George the way she keeps blushing around him.

"Oh I almost forgot." said Amanda pulling something from her bag and handing me the photos she had taken just after Christmas. "I got the photos, developed them yesterday." she said as I stared at the photo of the twins hugging me and my squashed form in the middle. Then I saw the photo of Amanda and me sitting on the couch in the common room laughing. We arrived just as the session was ending.

"Why does it seem to me like everybody is ignoring Harry Potter?" asked Amanda."Did you not hear?" I asked. Amanda shook her head. "Apparently him and two other first years lost Gryffindor 150 points."

"Oh, that's a lot of points." she said.

"Too right." I said wincing as I seen Harry getting hit on the face with the changing room door which somebody had conveniently forgot to hold open for him.

After about 10 minutes the twins came out and ran up the stands to Amanda and I. We then walked up to the castle and discussed the teams chances for the next match. We continued this discussion into the common room and well into the night along with many other topics especially about what we were going to be doing in the up coming Easter Holiday.

During the Easter Holidays those of us in second year were asked to pick the subjects we would be doing next year.

"Oh what's muggle studies like?" I asked Fred and George as I looked down the street.

"It's pretty cool so it is espically if you love muggles as much as dad does." grinned George.

"Yeah he got full marks in his muggle studies OWL and top of the year in NEWT." Laughed Fred. "Do you've any idea what you want to do when you leave here, Charlie?"

"A healer." I said automatically. Fred whistled.

"That's pretty tough like Charlie." Said George

"I know but it's really the only thing that interests me so it is." I admitted. Ever since I was younger and I seen the magic the healers worked it inspired me and it was all I ever wanted to do.

In the end I decided to go with muggle studies and care of magical creatures.

"Good choices." said Amanda who had chosen ancient runes and muggle studies.

After Easter the rest of the term flew by. The twins however got a shock when Ron ended up in the hospital wing, near the end of term as did Harry Potter and the Hermionie Granger.

"What was he playing at!" demanded George when we got back from the hospital wing after visiting Ron. "Mum's demanding reports on him every hour on the bloody hour and the git won't tell us what he done to land him self there in the first place!"

One day before the start of term I received a letter from Jess, I was so pleased when I recognised the hand writing as I hadn't heard from Jess since Easter so as I gave the owl a piece of sausage and ripped open the letter enthusiastically and read.

_Dear Charlie, _

_YOU'RE COMING TO FRANCE! _

_Mum and dad told me yesterday! You and you're mum are to come to France in the last week of July and staying with us until the end of August! _

_I can't wait to see you! It'll be amazing! _

_Love, _

_Jess._

"Guys look at this!" I screamed as Fred and George sat down beside me, causing Mc Gonagall to cast me a very disapproving look, but I didn't care I was going to see Jess again!

"Wicked!" The twins grinned. "Of course you'll be coming to us beforehand!" They told me.

"Of course." I smiled…


	11. Attack

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

Also...so far I've tried tokeep as true to the books as I could but I felt the story was moving too slowly so I decided just to make a tiny alteration to the story...please don't hate me!

The week before I was due to go to Jesses I stayed with the twins it was amazing! Ginny was still as cute as ever and so excited as this year she was going to be starting Hogwarts. "I'll get to see you everyday Charlie" she said hugging me round the waist.

"I know!" I laughed at her hugging me round the waist as she couldn't reach any higher, although I was probably smaller at that age I luckily had grown a good bit in the past two years! Ron was still his usual quiet self keeping himself mainly to him self.

"He's worried though" said Fred to me one afternoon when we were in the kitchen and Ron was stomping moodily up to his room .

"What about?"

"He's been writing to Harry Potter over the summer and he hasn't replied so he's worried that he's ignoring him."

However when I was in France I got a letter from Fred and George explaining what why Harry hadn't been replying when the owl delivered it Jess and me sprinted from the room and ran to her room and sat on her bed and read it.

_Dearest Charlie, _

_How's France? Tell Jess we say hi, since you left things have been pretty boring, haven't done anything exciting really, just drove a flying car (well I, Fred ,did) rescued Harry Potter from his Aunt and Uncle, you know the usual. Mum went mental though! It was hilarious us two, Ron and Harry walking up the lane when mum comes towards us looking like a chimaera! Honestly when George and I got into our room we were in stitches laughing! _

_Anyway, just thought we'd keep you updated. Hope you're enjoying France._

_All the love. _

_Fred & George_

_Ps. Make sure you've your Hogesmade form signed! _

Jess and I burst out laughing. "Do you think they actually did that?" Jess asked

"Knowing them two most definitely!" I said wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes.

France was beautiful, we visited the Eiffel Tower, of course, it was enchanting, espically at night time when the tower glistens in the night sky like stars with all the lights on it twinkling. We also visited the memorial graves of the soldiers of the second World War, my mum's muggle born and her father died in the second world war when she was eight, this was the first time she ever seen his grave. When we were standing at his grave she held my hand and squeezed it tightly. I looked up at her, her eyes were watering, I squeezed her hand back, not knowing what to say. "War is an awful thing Charlie." she whispered softly. "so many innocent people suffer needlessly, for what?"

"I really don't know." I said as we turned and walked towards Jess and her parents…

The rest of the trip was a lot more pleasurable and in no time at all we were getting ready to leave, we were side along apparating, mum had already sent our stuff on home.

"See you soon Jess," I said hugging her goodbye.

"Yeah, I'll write to you tomorrow!" she smiled.

"You'll come back next year won't you!" asked Mrs. O'Connell. "It's been wonderful to have you."

"That'd be lovely wouldn't it Charlie!" said mum.

"Hell yes!" Jess and I shouted at the same time. With that final promise still in the air I took mums hand and within seconds we were back in our sitting room.

As mum and I had bought my stuff the day before we went to Jesses all that was left to do was reminisce and look forward to seeing my other two best friends tomorrow.

***** **

"Hello Charlie my dear." said Mrs Weasley hugging me when she and Ginny came through the barrier.

"Charlie." screamed Ginny hugging me.

"Ginny!" I screamed hugging her back and laughing.

"Hey come on, you two let's go find a compartment the train's about to leave." said George.

"Ok. First of all," I said rummaging in my bag to find the souvenirs I'd bought Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in France.

"Thank you so much dear, you shouldn't have it's gorgeous!" said Mrs Weasley hugging me in gratitude for the perfume I'd bought her

"Ah now this is fascinating, I've never seen this type of plug before, thank you!" said Mr. Weasley looking at the plug on the toaster I'd bought him in France.

When we were on the train Fred, George, Ginny and I found Lee in the sitting in a compartment. "Hey guys!" He said waving. "and squirts here as well!" he said ruffling Ginnys hair.

"Leave it out Lee." Said Fred sitting down beside me. "for an eleven year old she's can do a pretty powerful bat bogey hex!"

"Warning taken sir! Said Lee doing a mock salute. Just then the train began to move and Mrs. Weasley came to the window and wrapped the window looking worried.

"What's up mum?" asked George out the window.

"Did either of you two notice if Ronald and Harry got on the train? It's just they were behind us on the platform and I don't recall seeing them coming through the barrier and neither does your father."

"Nah didn't see them, did any of you guys? " asked George

"Now that you mentioned it, I don't think I did either." said Fred.

"It's ok mum don't worry they probably went to look for Hermionie and lost us, they'll be on the train."

Said George before the train picked up enough speed to leave Mrs. Weasley looking after it.

However, Georges theory on the two boys going to look for Hermionie turned out to be wrong when Hermionie came to the door and asked if any of us had seen them.

"Sorry Hermionie we thought they'd went looking for you when they got to the platform." said George who then offered Hermionie the seat next to him. She spent the whole train journey fretting about where Ron and Harry could be. When we eventually reached Hogwarts we sat down at the Gryffindor Table and looked around to see if we could possibly spot them.

"Where are they!" whispered Fred in an angry tone as some first year was sorted into Hufflepuff

"I really don't know." I said looking around again for the millionth time. "Oh Ginny's being sorted!"

At that moment Ginny walked up to the hat, she looked exceptionally pale beneath her many freckles and her legs were shaking so badly I didn't think she was going to manage to reach the hat! But mercifully she did! And the hat had no sooner touched her head that it shouted out. "GRYFFINDOR!" I joined in the tremendous applause coming from our table and hugged Ginny when she sat down beside me. "Well done!" I whispered as some other first year was being sorted.

After the feast we were heading towards the common room. "Thanks for the presents by the way Charlie, you didn't have to!" said George in response to me buying him and Fred mini figurines of toy cars.

"I know but I wanted to." I smiled. "I saw them the same day I got your letter about the flying car and decided that they were an ideal present." I grinned. Just then we heard someone behind us say,

"Yeah that's what I heard Harry Potter and that Weasley kid flew a car to Hogwarts and crashed it into the Whomping Willow!" Fred, George and I looked at each other.

"No." we said disbelievingly. "no, couldn't be!" we said again shaking our heads. We walked on into the common room.

The common room did little to reassure us, everyone was talking about 'Harry Potter and the Weasley kid.' "I don't believe it! They didn't even call us back! After all we done for them this summer!" said Fred sounding half disappointed half amazed.

"Talking about it for a while though won't they." said Lee.

"Hey Amanda!" I called out as I seen Amanda in the corner.

"Hey!" she smiled. "did you two hear about your brother?" she asked grinning shyly.

"Yeah we just heard," said Fred.

"Oh hey I got you a present. I was looking for you on the train to give you it." I said rummaging in my pockets. "Damn!" The locket I bought Amanda must of fell out of my pocket on the way up the hall because I remembered having it in my pocket when I got to the top of the stairs on the seventh floor. "I'm just going to have a look it along the corridor here, it's fallen out of my pocket!" I said apologetically.

As I walked down the corridor it was completely dark except for the torches lit at intervals along the corridor which cast of unnerving shadows. I had a very uneasy feeling walking down the corridor, like I was being followed, I was looking for the locket which I found under a window so I ran as quickly as possible to get it and then run like hell back the common room, I really didn't like this feeling. As I picked up the locket and caught my reflection in the window, the last thing I remember seeing was a pair of great, big, yellow eyes behind me.

***** **

"Miss Campbell can you hear me?" I heard a voice in the distance. "Miss Campbell." It was getting closer if I could just open my eyes I could see who it was. My eyes flickered open. Madam Pomfrey was standing over me with a cup of potion.

"What happened ?" I asked in a hoarse voice, as if I hadn't spoken in a long time.

"You've been petrified dear you've been in here for ten months, it's June."

"But what-how-" I said looking around me it was dark outside, it was dark when I was…petrified…surely she was joking!

"I'm sorry dear but Dumbledore was a little sketchy on the details but basically during this year, a monster was going around petrifying people, that's all I know now if you want to run along to the great hall there holding some sort of celebration, your friends will be glad to see you I daresay hasn't been a day this year they haven't been in here but I really don't approve of this celebration business tonight especially tonight the people who've been petrified need their rest and care!" She prattled on mainly to herself.

"I've been resting for ten months!" I said indignantly. As I looked around me unsure if I could go or not I saw on the bed side cabinet a locket, the figurine of the two boys and the girl and the photos Amanda had given me last year…or the year before that. I was confused but I knew who they were from and I couldn't wait any longer I wanted to see them! "So can I go now? " I asked questionally.

"Well it's Dumbledores orders so of you go!" she said turning to administer the potion to the other people lying on beds I noticed Hermionie Granger lying there, at least she was going to be ok as well I thought. But I didn't need told twice so grabbing the locket I ran towards the great hall

"CHARLIE!" Fred, George, Lee and Amanda screamed running towards me and hugging me. "You're ok! Merlin how we've missed you!" we all sat down at the table and I realised for the first time that we were all wearing our pyjamas and burst out laughing but I had to quickly stop as my throat was still very hoarse.

"Here you go Amanda." I said handing her the locket.

"Took her a while to find it though didn't it!" grinned Fred ruffling my hair but the grin didn't look right it didn't light up his eyes the way it usually did actually his eyes looked red and puffy, as if he'd been crying. Later that night after I'd been caught up on what had happened during my absence and when everybody was busy celebrating we went for a walk down to the lake, my favourite place in Hogwarts.

"What's up?" I asked.

"what do you mean?" he asked grinning but it was still the same dead eyes.

"You've been crying." I said.

"Well yeah, but-" he broke of

"It's ok " I reassured him.

"It's been a weird year," he laughed. "What with you getting attacked, I honestly don't know when I've ever been more scared I seen you lying there I froze, eventually I ran to Madam Pomfrey and I heard you had been petrified it was kind of surreal. Then on top of that Ginny's been acting strange all year and then tonight she was taken into the 'Chamber of Secrets' and I didn't know if we were ever going to see her again and I-" he broke of again and I could see from the light on the horizon that he was crying again.

"Hey don't cry!" I said wiping his tears away with my thumb and smiling at him.

"Ginny's fine, I'm fine! We're all fine!" I smiled reassuringly.

He smiled back and we sat there in silence and watched the rest of the sunrise.

"Shall we go in?" he asked after the sun had fully risen.

"Yeah." I said and we walked towards the castle...


	12. Growing up

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

Also...seeing as I adore Remus John Lupin and I'm trying to incorporate my personality into Charlie I've decided someone is going to have a little crush on the teacher...although for the record I've never had a crush on any teacher as all the male teachers I've ever had have had an average age of about 60!

The rest of that term passed pretty uneventfully of course when I got home mum fussed over me and continually asking me if I was ok. It was good to be home.

The first week of the holidays I got a letter from Fred and George.

_Dearest Charlie, _

_We've some good news and some bad news. The good news is that dad has just won seven hundred galleons in a draw in the Daily Prophet. We couldn't believe it mum was in total shock! The bad news is however, that we're spending most of the money on a trip to Egypt to visit our brother Bill. We're leaving tomorrow which unfortunately means that as you're going to France this summer again, we'll not get the chance to see you! _

_However, meet us at the station in September, although that kind of goes without saying doesn't it! _

_Hope you're having a good summer so far._

_All the love _

_Fred & George_

I was so happy for the twins and their family when I read the letter, they were so poor but yet they were such a caring and loving family, no one else deserved that money in my opinion. It really couldn't of gone to nicer people. I was a bit upset about not being able to spend time with the twins this summer as I didn't get to spend that much time with them last year, due to unforeseen circumstances, but I was going to see them in September which wasn't that far away.

Unfortunately the twins weren't my only correspondents during the holidays. On the first day of August, two days before I went to France, I received my Hogwarts letter and enclosed was another letter from Professor McGonagall.

_Dear Miss Campbell, _

_Due to unforeseen circumstances last year you regrettably missed out on an entire years education, so it is with a heavy heart that I give you an out line of some of the work you missed out on last year, to catch up on during the summer. When you return to Hogwarts as well you will also have extra lessons, to catch up further on any work that you missed out on last year. _

_A list of books for next year is enclosed._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Professor M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress._

"Ah come on what the hell!" I yelled as I read the letter. "This is beyond the joke!"

"You'll get through it love," said mum optimistic as always. "It'll not be as bad as you think."

"I highly doubt that mum." I sighed drinking up the rest of my coffee and reading the news paper. When I picked it up and read the headline I near spat my coffee out! "MUM! QUICK LOOK! COME HERE!" I shouted.

"What's the matter!" Mum said running back into he kitchen. She read the head line and as she read each word the colour slowly drained from her face. "Oh no." she whispered. The vicious murderer Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban.

The next day when we went to Diagon Alley to get the stuff for school everyone was on high alert. There was fear in the air every where you looked people were no longer walking alone but in groups or huddles of people, all fearing they might be another casualty of the mass murderer who had killed two of his best friends.

In France the fear was more subdued than at home but there was still that fear present in the air, everywhere you went you could sense it. France wasn't nearly as enjoyable this time around due to Sirius Black and also both Jess and I had summer homework to do!

*******

"Charlie come on or we're going to miss the train!" shouted mum from downstairs.

"I'm coming I'm coming!" I shouted back down. "Right, everything's in the trunk." I double checked and then with a final glance around my room I started dragging my trunk out the door. 'God I can't wait, three more years and I'll be able to do this with magic!' I thought as I dragged my trunk down the stairs. Then it suddenly hit me, I was fourth year, damn I was growing up fast, it seemed like no time ago since I was first year! How much more simple life was back then, your trunk didn't weigh a ton and you didn't have to fear for your life because of an escaped mass murderer.

We were running exceptionally late in fact I just made it through the barrier.

"Be safe won't you love." said mum.

"Of course I will be you be safe and don't be worrying about me, I'm at Hogwarts with Dumbledore you're not so take care ok mum! I love you." I said hugging her out of the compartment door as the train began to move.

"Ah there she is." said Lee as I entered the compartment.

"We'd were beginning to think you'd been petrified again!" Joked George

"Don't!" Said Fred and I together.

"So what about this Sirius Black business then?" Asked Lee as I sat down beside Fred.

"I know!" Said Fred

"How did he get out man!" asked Lee.

"I dunno but I've got a theory as to why he got out." said George.

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm guessing it's something to do with Harry Potter. I mean Harry stopped you know who right? And Sirius Black was a big supporter of you know who so I mean maybe he thinks offing Harry will bring back his old master." Said George.

"Could be." I admitted. "Anyway lets change the subject I've heard nothing but Sirius Black for the past month!" So we began to talk about what we'd done during the summer and when Oliver Wood and Amanda found us and we began to talk about Gryffindors chances for the cup. "This is my last year guys so we've got to do it this year!" said Oliver.

"We will." said Fred and George.

"Yeah because Gryffindor are just so capable of winning this year when they've lost for the last oh how many years." came a drawling voice from the door. "I've lost count."

"Well as you can't count higher than 3, that's not surprising." Spat George. Malfoy observed him.

"Seen you in the paper this summer, Weasley." he sneered. "Tell me, does your mum always look that ugly? "

"Watch it Malfoy." said Fred threateningly

"Or what." Taunted Malfoy. Fred had jumped to his feet ready to punch the Malfoy kid when the train suddenly stopped with a jerk sending Fred and Malfoy flying back into the seats and the lights went out leaving us in total darkness.

"What was that!" I heard Malfoys frightened voice somewhere in the corner.

"I don't know jus-" but I was cut of mid sentence by the sound of the compartment door slowly sliding open and the sound of slow rattling breaths. The room had gone icy cold. I was alone. I was alone and crying in the train compartment on my first day of Hogwarts, I was alone in my room, miserable, thinking of Jess being in France, Mum was crying I was in the hospital bed sick, I was beside Granny Campbells (dads mum) grave. Then the compartment was no longer cold, but as I looked around I could see that we were all badly shaken, we all had pale sweaty faces and were visibly shaking.

"I really didn't like that." Came Freds shaky voice from the corner.

"Wasn't exactly my idea of fun either." said Oliver. "Kept remembering loosing quidditich matches."

I caught Freds eye, we couldn't help it the air felt light again, we burst out laughing soon after that Amanda, George and Oliver joined in. whilst we were laughing we saw Malfoy and his cronies stomp out of the compartment.

"Aww isn't he such a sweet little kid." laughed George. "Little git."

We sat laughing for a while, with the dementors gone everything just seemed more happy, more bright. As we were laughing and talking I saw someone walk past the window. He was walking slowly past the window and as he walked past he glanced into the compartment. He looked too old to be a student, he looked quite ill, he had a very pale and scarred but yet still quite handsome face and his light brown hair was streaked with tiny flecks of grey. As he glanced into the compartment he gave a small courteous smile which drew my focus to his eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen even in that quick second I could see that they were light blue flecked with bits of honey brown. I found myself stating at those eyes long after he was gone.

"Charlie, Charlie." I heard something far away then I saw something moving in front of my face causing me to jump in surprise.

"Huh?" I asked.

"We're here." said Amanda looking at me with concern. "You ok?"

"Wha- oh, yeah I'm fine."

We got of the train and into the carriages and headed to Hogwarts, all the while I was still thinking about those eyes.

"Who's that at the staff table?" Asked Amanda. "He looks kind of ill."

"I dunno. He must be the new defence against the dark arts teacher though, seeing as Lockhart was such a success last year." scoffed Fred.

"Must be." I thought and all of a sudden those extra lessons weren't looking so unappealing anymore, well the defense against the dark arts ones anyway.

After the sorting was over Dumbledore got up and gave the start of term announcements, warning us about the dangers of the dementors and he then introduced the new professor as 'Professor Lupin.' and he also informed us that Hagrid was to take over from professor kettleburn as the new Care of Magical creatures teacher. The Gryffindor table thundered with applause Fred and George were wolf whistling and Hagrid sat at the staff table beaming, his face shining red behind his beard.

After we were fed and watered we headed to bed, were I lay thinking about Professor Lupin, his handsome face, his scruffy hair but most of all, his eyes I'd genuinely never seen eyes like that before. I didn't kid myself though, I knew it was only a crush, I had only ever had one other crush before, it was on a muggle boy called Kevin, I was eight and let's just say that, that short lived romance died the minute he pushed me into the mud! Never the less I went to sleep thinking of those eyes…


	13. My Boggart

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

The first few weeks were pretty hectic, especially for me as I had the extra lessons and all. I didn't need to go to any extra theory based lessons like history of magic(thank Merlin for that because I may not have returned to Hogwarts if I'd had extra history of magic lessons) as I covered that during the holidays. However, for transfiguration, charms, potions, herbology, care of magical creatures and defence against the dark arts, which all had practical elements I had extra lessons for them. Transfiguration and charms weren't too bad as I had already done most of the theory work behind the spells over the holidays, "That was excellent Miss Campbell!" said McGonagall as I managed to turn my teapot in to a tortoise on my second attempt. Potions wasn't going so well, extra time with Snape was torture! "Miss Campbell, if you insist on wasting my time any further with your abysmal potion making abilities, I'm afraid I'm going to have to call an end to our lessons." Said Snape in his drawling tone one evening in the second week of term looking over my shoulder at my, admittedly disastrous attempt at a shrinking potion.

"Not a bother." I muttered under my breath.

"What was that." he asked in a dangerously quiet voice.

"Nothing." I said in a falsely sweet voice as I shoved my books into my bag and left the room, making sure not to slam the door behind me, as he would love any excuse to take points of a student that wasn't in his own house. As for care of magical creatures, that was a bit of a joke to be honest, Hagrid had me looking after flobberworms like his third years because he lost his nerve after a hippogriff attacked the Malfoy brat. I'd been really looking forward to defense against the dark arts extra lessons though. I'd already had a class with professor Lupin as a fourth year and there was a general consensus going around amongst the Gryffindor students that he was the best defense against the darks arts teacher ever! On the Thursday evening of the first week of term I knocked the door of the defence against the dark arts class room.

"Come in." said Lupin in his calm quiet voice. "Ah good evening Miss Campbell." he smiled courteously from behind his desk as I walked into the room and sat at the table in front of his desk.

"Good evening professor." I said returning the smile. He looked slightly more healthy but still exhausted looking, yet his eyes still shone brightly. They were so gentle and wise looking, but yet as I stared into them I could see pain in them too they gave him the air of someone who had been through a lot of hardship in his life.

"What we're going to do this evening is something I done with my third years this afternoon, a boggart, can you tell me about them?" he asked coming round to the front of his desk and leaning against it and folding his arms.

"It's a creature that'll take the shape of whatever you fear the most." I answered.

"Very good indeed." he smiled. "Now, there is a boggart in the cupboard in the staff room so if you'd like to follow me." he gestured holding the door open for me as we headed towards the staff room.

"The spell I'm going to teach you is fairly simple but you need to concentrate, in order for it to work you must force the boggart to take a shape you find amusing. Do you understand?" he asked when we were in the staff room, which was mercifully empty. I nodded, "Ok then the incantation itself is 'riddikulus.'"

"Riddikulus." I repeated

"Very good now on the count of three I'm going to open the door and the boggart will come out but you need to force it to take the shape of something you find amusing. Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yep." I replied readying my wand. At that he opened the door of the wardrobe and as the wardrobe door opened a healer stepped out. He was walking towards me menacingly saying the same words over and over. "They're all dead, everyone you've ever loved, dead. You're all alone." I stood frozen in fear.

"Come on Charlotte concentrate!" Came Professor Lupins voice bringing me back to reality and after a few moments with a shaky voice I uttered.

"R-rid-riddikulus!" and with a snap the doctor turned into a penguin waddling around the room. Even the sight of the penguin waddling around the room which would normally have me in stitches had no effect I stood there paralysed with fear. I fell to my knees and began to sob while Professor Lupin put the boggart back in the cupboard.

"Come on Charlotte, it's alright now, that was only a boggart, none of that was real." he said in a soothing voice, pulling me up of the floor gently and sitting me down on one of the chairs.

"Sorry." I said composing myself. "I'm being stupid."

"No you're not, " he said consolingly and handing me a handkerchief to dry my eyes.

"I can never comprehend that it's not real, I just imagine loosing mum and I can't-"

"The boggart was very strong because there was only you and me here, it's always best to take company when dealing with one. Would you like some chocolate?" he asked.

"Sorry?" I asked confused.

"It's my secret weapon, I find it particularly useful in cheering people up." He smiled, lighting up his eyes.

"Yes please." I laughed shakily. "Thank you." I smiled as he handed me a large piece of chocolate.

"Not at all." he smiled and helped himself to some chocolate as well.

After another few attempts with the boggart in which I was able to prevent myself crying long to enough to tackle it, we headed back to the class room and he showed me a Red Cap he had captured earlier on. After that the hour was up. "Well until next time Charlotte." he smiled handing me another piece of chocolate.

"Call me Charlie, please sir. I hate Charlotte." he grinned.

"Ok. Charlie, until next time. Meantime don't dwell on that boggart that was a very hard thing to deal with seeing, it does not make you stupid or weak to be frightened by it. The penguin though may I just say was particularly amusing." he smiled. I gave a weak smile in return and headed back to the common room. On my way back I couldn't help but wonder what Professor Lupins boggart was.

"How'd the lesson go?" ask Fred.

"Went ok, professor Lupin's a really cool guy." I said sitting down to start my homework. I looked at my watch. It was nine O'Clock now which probably meant that'd I'd be up until one trying to get through the mountain of homework I had to do. I eventually got to bed around one, I kept drifting of into day dreams about professor Lupin which distracted me somewhat from my homework…


	14. I can sleep in peace knowing your Ok

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

"Professor?" I asked Mc Gonagall one evening in our extra lessons. "How much longer do you think I'll have these extra lessons?"

"Not much longer I should say especially if you keep up this standard of work." she replied with one of her very rare smiles as I managed to turn my cat into a hamper basket. "All your professors are talking very highly of you in particular professor Lupin. I should say maybe by Christmas you should be sufficiently caught up." Bearing in mind that Halloween was only a week away and Christmas usually came pretty quickly after that. I left the transfiguration lesson feeling quite happy, Professor Lupin had complimented me and I was almost done with these extra lessons.

The next week flew by and Fred George and I planned my first official trip to Hogesmade. "It'll be great Charlie!" exclaimed George. "First of all we'll go by the passageway that goes into Honeydukes cellar, seeing as the passage way behind the mirror caved in last year."

"How'd that happen?" I asked.

"Oh Fred and I were walking back from Hogesmade after a particularly wet day and the fireworks we had in our bags kind of went of in the tunnel causing it to cave in." he explained. "Anyway, so we'll go to Honeydukes, purchase some edibles, then head to Zonkos with Lee stock up on supplies then to The Three Broomsticks for a nice butterbeer."

"Then back to Hogwarts for the feast. Oh is Amanda coming with us." asked Fred.

"Nah, she's in the hospital wing, she's got a really bad case of the flu and is going to be in there for about two weeks." I said.

"Pity." said George

So Halloween came and I woke up early and headed down to the great hall for breakfast. On my way down I saw Fred and George in the common room with Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell. "Do you think we can win it?" asked Katie.

"Of course we can, as long as Harry can keep himself out of trouble long enough!" said Angelina.

"Yeah come on Katie, Wood's an amazing captain and keeper, you two are excellent chasers as is Alica and we're a dab hand with the bats." said George. "Not to mention that Harry has never let us down when it came to catching the snitch."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." said Angelina.

"Too right I am-oh hey Charlie." waved George as I reached the bottom stair.

"Hey." I smiled.

"Just a little team meeting here come and join us." said Fred. I walked over and remained standing beside them. "I believe you already know Katie, she's in your year and this is Angelina Johnson. She's in our year."

"Hello." I smiled awkwardly at Angelina and Katie.

"Hi." said Angelina rather stiffly.

"Hello." smiled Katie brightly. "We're just talking about our chances for the quidditich cup this year. How do you think we'll do?"

"Er- It's like Fred and George said you've a really strong team, it's just due to chance that you haven't won it for the past two years. So if nothing unfortunate happens between now and the final you'll definitely win." I finished shrugging my shoulders.

"Well said Charlie." grinned George standing up and putting his arms around my shoulder. "Now if you two lovely ladies will excuse us, we're going to breakfast."

"You two coming?" Fred asked looking at Angelina in particular.

"We'll be down in a bit, want to get washed up a bit first of all." replied Angelina. And with that we walked down to the great hall.

After we ate breakfast we headed back to the common room and grabbed our stuff and began our journey to Hogesmade.

When we reached Hogesmade we spent our day as planned, buying dung bombs in Zonkos, "This lot'll keep Filch amused for a while shouldn't it." grinned George as we walked out of the shop and headed to The Three Broomsticks for butterbeer. "Ok first round on me I said as I headed to the bar to buy four butter beers." As I headed back to the seats with the four butter beers in my hands I seen the twins and Lee grinning evilly. "What?" I asked. However, I was too late as at that moment the four butterbeers had emptied themselves all over me of their own accord. There was an eruption of laughter coming from the twins and Lee.

"Well you did say the first round was _on_ you." Cried Fred in hysterics laughing and wiping the tears of laughter away from his eyes.

"Gits." I muttered as I cleaned myself up.

"Sorry Charlie." gasped Lee through fits of giggles. "It was just too easy."

"Oh don't worry I'll get you back!" I grinned as I tipped the remaining contents of the butter beer over Georges head, it appeared he was the perpetrator.

After that we headed back to school my head filled with thoughts of revenge, the scrumptious feast awaiting us and a certain professor with piercing blue eyes sitting at the staff table, who happened to be present in a lot of my thoughts now a days.

After we had stuffed ourselves with the feast and had been entertained by the ghosts we headed back to the common room but when we reached the corridor we found it was full of students.

"Ah come on someone say the password already it's Fortuna Major" Shouted Fred up the hall. "Honestly after thee months how can anybody forget it!" he muttered. However the crowd still stood still and more and more students were joining it. After a few minutes we heard Percy pushing his way through the crowd. "Excuse me I'm head boy let me through!" when he got to the portrait of the Fat Lady I heard him shout. "Somebody get professor Dumbledore. Quick." I still couldn't see what was going on as I was in the middle of the crowd and quite small.

"What's going on I can't bloody see!" I said to Fred standing on my tip toes trying to get a better look.

"Dunno I-" Fred gasped. Then somebody in front of me moved their heads and I could see it too. The portrait of the Fat Lady had been slashed in several places and there were pieces of her portrait lying on the ground. The Fat Lady herself had vanished from the portrait. Just then Professor Dumbledore came along the corridor towards the portrait he was soon followed by McGonagall, Lupin and Snape.

"We need to find her." came Dumbledores calm voice. "Professor Mc Gonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady." Mc Gonagall nodded her head and started of in the direction of Mr. Filch when we heard Peeves cackling voice.

"You'll be lucky." he grinned broadly.

"What do you mean Peeves?" Dumbledore asked.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful, poor thing." he added unconvincingly .

"Did she say who did it?" asked Dumbledore calmly.

"Oh yes." Said Peeves dramatically, trying to increase the tension and fear no doubt. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see. Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black." There was a collective gasp from all the Gryffindor students and teachers.

"Prefects, head boy. I want you to lead the rest of your house to the great hall, the rest of the houses shall be joining you shortly." Ordered Professor Dumbledore.

Fred, George, Lee and I followed the crowd to the great hall where Ginny joined us a few minutes later.

"You ok?" Asked Fred hugging her.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Right come on and lets try and find somewhere to sleep." Said Lee grabbing the sleeping bags Professor Dumbledore had left for us all.

That night not many of us slept. It was about three in the morning when I rolled over on to my side and seen Fred was also lying on his side wide awake. "You ok?" I mouthed

"Yep. You?" He mouthed back.

"Yep." I mouthed back again. At that I seen Fred smile and roll over falling asleep shortly after…


	15. Merry Christmas

A/N: I own nothing...except the OCs...The template for this, hopefully decent story, is owned by the incredible J.K Rowling.

Also...I love this chapter I think it's really cute...please let me know what you think of it!

For the next few weeks nobody talked about anything but Sirius Black. These thoughts distracted me so much that along with being preoccupied with the extra lessons, normal school work and helping the twins and Oliver deal with loosing to Hufflepuff ('Don't worry guys you can still win it!') that I didn't even realise it was near Christmas until one evening with Professor Lupin in one of our extra lessons. "Ok Charlie, so what's the difference between a werewolf and an animagus?" He asked me one lesson. I may have been imagining it but he looked a bit uneasy.

"A werewolf has no choice. If he or she is bitten by another werewolf then they will become a werewolf. An animagus, however. Is somebody who chooses to turn into an animal, and the animal they become is usually a reflection of that persons personality." I said.

"Excellent!" he beamed. "Well Charlie, I believe that is our extra lessons are at an end. You appear to have caught up sufficiently."

"Really!." I grinned. He nodded smiling. "Awesome. Wait, does that mean it's near Christmas?" I asked suddenly recalling what McGonagall had said.

"It does indeed! Why Christmas is in two weeks" he smiled. "Have you just realised that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Actually, yes." I grinned sheepishly. "My head's been away with it for the past while with the whole panic about Sirius Black, plus with all the extra and regular school work I've had to do. I never realised."

"Well that's quite understandable." he nodded understandingly. "As a bit of a celebration for finishing these lessons, which must be a relief to you I'm sure. Would you like some butter beer?" he asked hesitantly looking at me with those eyes. I must of looked taken back because he suddenly said. "Only if you want to of course you don't have to you'd probably prefer to get back to your friends of course I'm sorry." he said very quickly.

"No, sir, I'd really like some butter beer thank you. I mean after all the extra hours you've put in with me this year, it'd be kind of rude to say no wouldn't it." I laughed rubbing the back of my neck nervously. He beamed and pulled out two butter beers.

"So how're the rest of your lessons coming on?" he asked after we sat drinking our butter beers for a while.

"Not going to bad. If I've finished with your extra classes then I might be soon finished with the other ones too. Except potions, I'll be at that until next year before I'm caught up." I laughed.

"Ah potions, I was never much good at it myself. I remember in my fourth year I was working with a friend of mine at one of the cauldrons and I don't know what happened but next thing I know the whole thing explodes over the two of us completely scalding us!" he laughed.

"That's not happened to me, yet." I grinned. "I hope you don't mind me asking you this professor but, are you ok?" I asked. The question had been burning in my mind for about two months, maybe once or twice a month Professor Lupin would be of sick and I was curious as to what was wrong with him.

"What do you mean?" he asked going slightly paler as he did.

"It's just you're of sick every now and then and I wanted to know if you were ok?" I replied "It's just Professor Snape, takes your classes when your ill and he's, strict so he is and we're wondering if you'll be missing anymore, because well he'll be taking those classes." I added quickly, quite proud of myself for coming up with a euphemism for 'a bit of a dick' and at the same time mentally kicking myself for acting like a nosy git!

"Ah yes Professor Snape, a lot of students seem to find him rather _strict_ ." he smiled, picking up on my euphemism no doubt. "It's nothing serious, I've a weak immune system, it comes with old age." he winked, though still looking slightly nervous.

"You're not that old." I said reasonably. He laughed.

"Very diplomatic." he smiled setting down his bottle. "Well Charlie, it's getting quite late you'd better be getting back to your common room and if Mr. Filch gives you any bother tell him to come and see me."

"Ah ok, Thank you sir for putting up with me this term and I shall see you in class tomorrow." I said smiling at him.

"Not at all! It's been a pleasure!" he said clasping my hand between both of his and shaking it. I smiled and left the class room and walked back to the class room in a daze.

"Hey guys guess what!" I smiled as I walked into the common room.

"What." asked Amanda who was sitting beside Fred and George.

"I've just finished my extra lessons with Professor Lupin for good. Now I just have to finish the rest of them and then I'm free!"

"Ah that's wicked!" said George giving me a high 5.

"Excellent." grinned Fred. "So Charlie. Hogesmade on Saturday, looking forward to it?"

"Yep!" I smiled. "I only actually realised there with Professor Lupin that Christmas is in two weeks so I'm going to have to get presents this weekend!"

"Ah well we've a present to give to somebody so how about we meet you in Hogesmade after we give someone a bit of festive cheer."

"What are you going to do on Filch now?" I asked.

"Who said anything about Filch! We're actually going to do something nice for someone and you doubt us?" asked Fred indignantly.

"It's you two, there's no doubt I doubt you!" I laughed.

Hogesmade on Saturday was an enjoyable day, Amanda, Lee and I headed to Hogesmade the official way, which was really pretty all the snow covering the ground. We told the twins we'd meet them in the Three Broomsticks so we waited in there and when they arrived we headed to the usual shops Zonkos and Honeydukes and several other shops where I bought mum a beautiful black and white shirt to go with the skirt she had in the house but never wore because 'She'd nothing to go with it!' I'd already bought the twins and Lee their stuff in Zonkos and Honeydukes. I then decided to buy Amanda a muggle book found in a second hand shop called 'Lesson Learnt' it was a really good book I'd read and I thought she might enjoy it along with the stuff from Honeydukes I'd bought her. I also bought Jess a broach I seen in 'Trinkets' Jess loved broaches and this one was a butterfly with different coloured stone in each pattern on its wings.

So the last two weeks of term flew by I finished all my extra lessons, including potions so I was looking forward to a new term extra-classless! On the last day of term before I went home I was in the last class of the day, defence against the dark arts when class was over everyone got up and filed out of the class room except me as I was still trying to cram stuff into my bag. "Come on get in," I muttered angrily to my book.

"Having some problems?" came the quiet voice of professor Lupin from behind me making me jump. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you!" He apologised.

"It's ok sir," I laughed nervously. "Didn't hear you, too busy trying to get my books into my bag." I pointed at the book sticking out of the bag making it impossible for me to close the bag.

"Ah here you go." he said pointing his wand at my bag and uttering something under his breath. Causing my bag to expand and allowing the book to slip easily into the bag between the rest of my books.

"Why didn't I think of that! " I said hitting my self on the head. "Thank you sir." I smiled appreciatively walking towards the door swinging the bag over my shoulder.

"Not at all Charlie." he smiled. "Oh Charlie." he called as I walked out the door.

"Yes?" I asked putting my head round the door.

"Happy Christmas." He smiled, his eyes glimmering in the winter sun coming in through the window rendering me speechless for a moment.

"Thank you, sir. You too." I smiled at him before turning to walk towards the common room and begin packing for the journey home tomorrow...


	16. Fear

**A/N Hey sorry for the delayed uploading! Been really busy with the whole last few days of summer getting results and going to gigs (Rise Against XD) As this is my last year of secondary/high school I'm going to be really busy with school work...volunteer work (I want to do Social Work) and driving lessons so the next chapter will be published sometime around Halloween and the story should deffinatley be finished by Christmas. The if people like this story I might try and do another one involving my dear Remus [ ] I need something to keep me sane this year! Thank you as well for the reviews much appreciated it's so cool to go to MSN and see 'New Review' so much appreciated =]**

Christmas break was great. Of course mum was freaking out when we were in Diagon Alley on Christmas eve morning getting a few last minute things she kept expecting Sirius Black to jump out of nowhere and do us in. Fred and George did not help as they had recognised me and came running up behind me and Fred grabbed me by the waist and swung me around. I honestly don't know who screamed louder; me in shock, mum in shock, Mrs Weasley yelling at Fred and George for scaring mum and me half to death or the twins screaming with laughter when they heard me scream. "Sorry Charlie but it was too much of an opportunity to pass out on, forgive us?" They asked with pleading eyes as we sat in the leaky cauldren having lunch.

"Idiots of course I do!" I laughed.

"I'm so sorry about these two." complained Mrs. Weasley as mum and I prepared to travel by floo powder back home. "I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with them."

"It was a bit of harmless fun." Mum said with a dismissive wave stepping into the fireplace and disappearing seconds later.

"Merry Christmas Charlie!" yelled Fred and George as I stepped into the fire place.

"You too!" I waved as I said my home address and vanished in the flames.

The rest of the Christmas break flew by. In no time at all I was on the knight bus on my way back to Hogwarts.

As I was walking up the stairs to the common room I saw professor Lupin walking in my direction. He looked very ill. "Hello sir." I smiled as I walked past him.

"Hello Charlie." he smiled courteously back. "Good Christmas?"

"Yeah sir, it was really nice. You?" I replied.

"I had a quiet Christmas, but pleasant none the less." he replied. "I'm sorry but if you'll excuse me I've got to go see professor Snape about a little matter. " he nodded politely and began to walk of leaning on his stick as he did, I hoped he was ok.

"Hey Charlie." waved Fred as I walked into the common room.

"Helloo!" I smiled as I sat down beside him and George. "Good Chrostmas?"

"Yeah it was grand. Percy was getting on our nerves though!" said George

"So we left him a few presents under his bed." Grinned Fred.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well let's just say that when Penelope and he were in his room, the atmosphere mightn't of been as romantic as he might have wanted, with about fifty mice running all over the place! " he burst out laughing.

"Of course Penelope was terrified of mice and went running and screaming down the stairs." laughed Ginny joining us and giving me a hug.

"Nice." I laughed wiping away the tears from my eyes and returning the hug.

"Percy went mad though," Ginny grinned. "Only for dad prying him of Fred and George, he'd of killed them!"

"Ah, it was a good Christmas." laughed Fred.

"And it'll be an even better term when we beat Ravenclaw!" said Oliver Wood sitting down beside me.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Fred and George.

The next few weeks I barely seen Fred and George, if they weren't in training or quidditch they were in detention. The only times I actually seen them was at breakfast or dinner. However it was worth it when we won against Ravenclaw. "Party in the common room right now!" said Fred and George hugging Amanda and I as we were walking up to the castle. "First of all though you're coming with us to get some party supplies." muttered George to me grabbing my elbow and leading me in the direction of the passage way that lead to Hogesmade.

When we got back with the supplies. We had one of the best nights ever! The party went on until McGonagall came in around half one, two in the morning and told us to go to bed, although I had the impression she's been told to do this by another teacher rather than of her own accord. She wanted us to win as much as Oliver did, and that was saying something!

However I was woken later in the night when I heard Katie mutter. "What's with all the noise down in the common room?"

"They can't have started the party up again can they? McGonagall will kill them." I said to her.

"I know but come on down the stairs and see what all this noise is about." the two of us headed down the stairs and seen Fred and Georges younger brother Ron was standing in the common room looking very pale with Harry Potter and several other boys from their year. Several voices could be heard coming form the other dormitories enquiring about the noise. Ron and Harry had been talking in the common room when I came down as had a few other people I didn't recognise.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" Came Fred's cheerful voice behind me.

"Everyone back upstairs!" Came Percy's bossy voice as he came running down the stairs.

"Perce-Sirius Black!" Came Ron's voice weakly from a chair. Looking up at his brother with a pale face he continued. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

"Nonsense!" stammered Percy after a few minutes of tense silence had came over the common room. "You had too much to eat, Ron-had a nightmare-"

"I'm telling you-" Ron was cut short by the common room door opening.

"Now really, enough's enough!" McGonagall slammed the door shut behind her. "I am delighted Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy I expected better of you!"

"I certainly did not authorise this Professor!" said Percy indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother here had a nightmare-"

"It wasn't a nightmare!" Ron stood up yelling. "Professor, I woke up, and Sirius Black was standing over me, holding a knife!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?" she asked staring at him.

"Ask him!" Ron said pointing shakily at the portrait on the common room door of Sir Cadogan. "Ask him if he saw-"

McGonagall went out and questioned Sir Cadogan. As it turned out somebody had entered the common room. They had all the passwords for this week as some third year had lost the list of passwords he had copied down so he could remember them.

Professor McGonagall went to fetch some other teachers and search the castle for Sirius Black.

"Oh well that's great!" Fred said sarcastically as everybody made their way up to bed around dawn after McGonagall told us they'd failed to capture Black. "That's twice in one year! Who knows maybe third time lucky he'll actually kill someone!" he flung himself back on to the couch.

"Calm down Fred." Ordered George. "Ron's ok. Nobody was hurt!"

I know George, but I mean, what if that had of been me or Charlie

"It wasn't and I don't want to think about that!" said George giving my hand a gentle squeezeCome on let's try and get some sleep." I said getting up and leading the way to wards the dormitories where we all lay wide awake, to afraid to sleep


	17. Safe with you

**A/N I own nothing except the OCs ... damn you Rowling!**

**also...Hey sorry for long delay! I've been really busy with exams which determine whether or not I get into university...STRESS! I'll try and upload some more soon no promise of how soon it will be but hopefully not as long as this one!**

After Blacks second attack on the castle security was tightened tenfold. Everyone was terrified. We all walked in huddles between classes, according to Ginny it was just like last year when people were getting petrified. However, life went on, classes continued, professor Lupin was still of sick every now and then and Fred and George got their own back on Malfoy and his cronies for trying to sabotage their last quidditch game against Ravenclaw by bewitching their owls to fly in and drop their droppings on top of their breakfast every morning until McGonagall caught on, funnily enough they were never punished for that.

Easter holidays were dreadful even Fred and George who normally enjoyed any holiday didn't enjoy this one. "We've got OWLs coming up, not that we really care about them, and the quidditch final it's a bloody nightmare!" Complained George as we sat in the library one night.

"You'll be grand." I said reassuringly as Fred slammed a book shut beside me.

"George come on training. Sorry Charlie but Oliver will kill us if we don't go now."

"That's ok, I'll see you guys back in the common room." I waved as they headed of for training.

The rest of the holidays passed like that but the quidditch final was exhilarating! I never screamed so much as when Harry caught the snitch! I hugged Amanda and ran down to the pitch with all the other Gryffindors and ran to Fred and George, who had just left Harry. I ran and Hugged them. "We did it!" They screamed lifting me up in turn and swing me around. "We did it!"

"Congratulations!" I yelled to Oliver as I seen him hugging Angelina Johnson.

"Thank you!" Sobbed Oliver running over to hug me. Leaving Angelina looking sour.

"You too Katie!" I said hugging Katie.

"Thank you." She beamed. That night the party in the common room went on well into the early morning. Even Percy seemed willing to celebrate.

After the quidditich final the rest of the Term just flew by with exams and everything. However a few weeks before the end of term Sirius Black was captured and some how managed to escape again.

"That's fantastic." scoffed George at breakfast the morning following his escape. "Can the ministry actually do anything right?"

"Now Now, George. The ministry did everything within their power to ensure that Black was captured. It's not their fault if You-Know-Who never taught them the dark magic he's taught Black. Although when I get into the ministry there'll be changes." Said Percy pompously.

"That's not the worst of it though." said Fred after Percy had walked away.

"What?" I asked.

"Apparently Professor Lupin is a werewolf, it's going all about the castle." he said. "He actually seemed like an alright kind of guy though," He shrugged. I looked up at the staff table and scanned it, he wasn't there. "-and apparently he's quit as well." Came Fred's voice snapping me back into reality with an unpleasant lurch.

"What!" I nearly chocked on my cereal. "Yeah handed his resignation into Dumbledore first thing this morning."

"I'm going to go to the bathroom and clean this up." I said pointing at my T-shirt which was covered in cereal and making up any excuse necessary to see Professor Lupin.

I ran along the corridor to his office and seen that the door was partially opened and through the opening I could see he was packing. I knocked on the door. "Come in." Came his quiet voice. "Ah hello Charlie. Can I help you?" he asked fixing me with those piercing blue eyes.

"Is it true that-"

"I'm a werewolf, yes it's true. " he nodded.

"Not that I don't care about that. Is it true you've resigned." He looked quite taken back.

"Yes, it's true that I resigned, I did so first thing this morning."

"Why!" I demanded.

"Why!" he asked suddenly exasperated. "Charlie I'm a werewolf! Last night I put the entire school in terrible danger. I'm too dangerous to be allowed to work around so many people, especially young, people like yourself."

"Sir! You didn't hurt anyone! Nobody cares about you being a werewolf, except a few conceited and narrow minded prats! You're the best teacher we've ever had!" I pleaded with him. Tears forming behind my eyes.

"Charlie." he said placing a hand on my shoulder. "How I wish I could be as naive as you but a life time of prejudices has made me cynical. There is much prejudice against my type and rightly so, we are so dangerous." he said looking me in the eyes. "It's been wonderful teaching here this year. Especially bright young students like yourself, you'll do just as well without me. Now if you'll excuse me, I've to finish packing. Goodbye." he added fixing with one last smile. When I left the class room I shut the door behind me. I leant against the wall and slowly slid down it holding my head in my hands as I reached the floor. Tears were falling freely down my face now, I sat there in misery until I heard footsteps coming up the corridor. I gathered myself up of the floor and ran to the bathrooms and dried my face.

"Are you ok?" Amanda asked as I walked into our dormitory.

"Yeah." I answered in a shaky voice.

"Seriously what's the matter?" she pressed.

"Nothing." I muttered changing my top.

"It's about Professor Lupin isn't is?" she asked as I sat on my bed with my knees pressed up into my chest with my arms wrapped around them.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well I mean I kind of noticed that you _liked _him this year." she said hesitantly.

"Wha-How did you know?" I asked turning round to look at her but remained sitting with my arms wrapped around my knees.

"It was kind of obvious what with the glazed look you'd get in your eyes when he was talking in class and all." she grinned.

"I don't know what I'm going to do Amanda." I sighed after a few minutes resting my chin on my hands. "I really liked him, I mean I'm not stupid I know with him being a teacher and all nothing could ever happen but he was such a nice guy. He's nothing like you'd expect a werewolf to be." Just then the door opened and Katie and Leanne walked in.

"You guys talking about Professor Lupin as well?" Leanne asked.

"Yeah." said Amanda.

"Bit of a shocker isn't it." Katie added.

"Yeah." I added. "Well I'm heading to Hogesmade here, any of you coming?"

"Nah, it's too nice a day. I can't be bothered to walk." Amanda replied.

"Yeah me too." Said Leanne and Katie.

"Ok, see you later then." I said getting up.

"Do you really think it's wise to go alone?" Katie asked. "I mean what if Sirius Black is still about. We'll go with you."

"Nah it's alright seriously! I'll get Fred and George to go. None of you want to go so there's no point in me dragging you." I explained. I'd no intentions of going with Fred and George. I just wanted to clear my head for a bit so I was going to go down the secret passageway to Hogesmade alone.

When I reached Hogesmade I went straight to Honeydukes and bought some chocolate remembering as I bought it that Professor Lupin had given me some on my first lesson with him. I grinned at the memory 'I find it particularly useful in cheering people up' he had smiled. I shook my head as I walked out into the sun light street taking a bite of the chocolate.

"Charlie!" I heard Fred and George shout. I looked round and seen their faces livid with rage.

"What are you playing at!" George wheezed as he gasped for air.

"That maniac Black is on the loose again and you go swaning of on your own!" exclaimed Fred bent over gasping for air as well.

"We were worried sick." said George getting his breath back. I stood there looking at them and after a minute I threw my arms around them. I don't know what it was that made me hug them. Maybe it was the sweat stains on their matching blue T-shirts and their gasping for air that indicated they had ran all the way from Hogwarts or the concerned look in their eyes that showed me they genuinely cared a lot for me.

"I'm sorry guys." I said drawing back and looking at the two of them. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I didn't mean to." wanting to kick myself for being so childish.

"It's ok. We were just worried." smiled Fred, sounding like my mother.

"Yeah you know not every one out there is as nice as us." winked George. Putting his arm around my shoulder. "Now to the 'The Three Broomsticks.' I need a drink to calm my nerves." At that we all burst out laughing.

We went to 'The Three Broom Sticks' and got a drink and then headed to Zonkos because Fred and George had to stock up before going home.

"And for research purposes" Fred winked.

We walked back up to school with the sun still bright in the sky we were linked arm and arm and decided and laughing at what Fred and George were planning to do with the Dragon dung they had just ordered.

As I looked up and looked at my two best friends I felt that I would always be ok, nothing could ever hurt me…


	18. Don't mess with the quo

**A/N: Hello oncw again =] Hope you enjoy please R&R**

**I own nothing except the OCs...tis a great pity =[**

There's a saying and it goes: 'Absence is to love as wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small and enflames the great.' I remember reading that somewhere when I was younger. During that summer absence slowly but surely extinguished the feelings I had for Professor Lupin, I still thought of his eyes every now and then though.

I'd visited Fred and George at the start of the summer and stayed over. Mr. Weasley apologised that he would only be able to get at the most two extra tickets for the Quidditich World Cup. "It's ok Mr Weasley sir," I laughed as he apologised for the millionth time.

"You could of went only Bill & Charlie came home." Fred explained.

"How thoughtless of us." grinned Bill. Bill, there were actually no words to describe how good looking Bill was. He was tall and muscular and quite tanned, due to working in Egypt I assume, with long red hair pulled back into a pony tail. He was like a model.

"Yeah I know, just plain rude." Charlie winked at me Charlie was like a teddy bear. He was a slightly taller version of the twins. He also had a good few burns and scars over him from working with the dragons, which made him kind of roguishly good looking. I laughed at the two of them.

I spent the rest of the summer in France with Jess. She basically teased me for the entire duration of the trip about Professor Lupin once I told her about him. "Oh all those extra lessons eh?" She nudged me suggestively. "Not much studying went on there I'm sure."

"Oh shut up!" I laughed pushing her of the bed.

The day after the world cup I got a nasty surprise as I read in the paper about the attacks at the camp site. "Jess do you've a bit of parchment and a quill with ink?" I asked Jess the minute I read the article.

"Yep top drawer? Is everything o-oh!" She gasped as she read the paper.

_Fred, George_

_Just read the paper, please respond asap to let me know everyone's ok!  
_

_Love,_

_Charlie_

I sent the letter as soon as I wrote the letter and waited all day anxiously for a reply. Thankfully around 6 that evening I got a response.

_Charlie,_

_Everyone's fine, Bill, Charlie and Perce got a bit roughed up but other than that everyone is great. Looking forward to seeing you on the train! _

_All the love, _

_Fred and George. _

_PS. Tell Jess we say hi!_

I breathed a sigh of relief! I could not imagine my life without either of those to in it!

As always when the first of September came I was looking forward to getting back to school to see every one. However, this year I also had OWLs which meant all work and no play this year. I was determined to become a healer and there was seriously high grades required to do so!

Mum and I ran through the barrier to the train. I hugged her goodbye and got onto the train where I spotted the twins in the compartment stowing there stuff away. "Hello!" I waved.

"Charlie!" beamed George hugging me. Once he put me down he walked out of the compartment to go and say goodbye to his mum and Charlie who I seen coming on the train.

"Hello little buddy!" grinned Fred swinging me around. Once Fred put me down, the strangest thing happened, he was still holding me in his arms and we held each others gaze and within that split second it was as if I was only properly seeing Fred for the first time. I had never before noticed how attractive he was. His hair falling to the bottom of his neck, his deep brown eyes filled with mischief as always, his lips separated slightly in a grin, they were so tempting. Wait what!

"Fred!" Called George causing Fred and I to break our gaze. "Come on we've to say bye to mum and Charlie. Other Charlie, do you wanna come and say bye as well?"

"No. I'm ok." I said after I quickly composed myself. "I'm going to say bye to mum here. Tell you're mum and Charlie I say hi." I said heading out of the compartment. 'What in the name of Merlin!" I thought to myself as I walked to mum, who was talking to Amanda's mum. 'He's your best friend there's no way you can like him even as a stupid crush you're not jeopardising one of the closest friendships you have!'

"Hey Charlie." waved Amanda smiling shyly.

"Hello." I said hugging her. Just then the train sounded Amanda and I both hurriedly gave our mothers a final farewell hug and ran for the train.

"So how was France." Asked Fred. I looked up to reply and seen he was looking at me. He still looked as attractive. Damn it!

"France was good and Jess says hi." I smiled trying to look as casual as possible. He smiled back revealing dimples at either side of his mouth. Had he always been this good looking? "How was the Quidditich World Cup, apart from th attacks and all, I still can't believe that!?"

"Yeah." said George. "That was an eventful night." he then went into details of what happened. I was only half listening I was looking at Fred through the corner of my eye. He was agreeing with George on some point shaking his head causing a strand of hair to fall down in front of his eyes he shook his head a fraction to move it out of his eye. 'snap out of it.' I thought to myself angrily. "-and mum wasn't as mad at us anymore for getting 3 OWLs each." concluded George.

"So alls well that ends well." grinned Fred.

"You only got three OWLS each." Amanda asked shocked.

"Yep." Said Fred with a tone of pride in his voice. I grinned.

"What did you get them in?" She asked.

"Charms, herbology and defence against the dark arts." laughed George. "Although we didn't really care about the OWLs anyway, we know what we want to do."

"What?"

"Open a joke shop of course."

"Only problem is funds area little low. We thought we'd be in the money after the quidditich match but we'd been double crossed by that Ludo Bagman git." Said Fred irritably. He recounted to us the story of George and he had been double crossed by Ludo Bagman. "We've tried writing to him and everything but he's ignoring our letters." Finished Fred.

"Git." Said Amanda and I at the same time.

"Thank you gentle ladies." smirked Fred mischievously. His eyes twinkling. 'stop it.' my inner voice snapped. "Looks like we're nearly there." observed Fred looking out the window. "We'd better get changed." 'Oh great.' I thought sarcastically to myself. 'Just great.'

When we were sitting in the common room later that night everyone was talking about the Tri Wizard tournament which Dumbledore had informed us would be taking place this year at Hogwarts. "We're entering it." Said Fred. "That thousand galleon prize money could go a long way towards the joke shop."

"But how?" I asked staring into he fire. I decided it was better to avoid looking at him at all if I wanted to maintain our friendship. It was the only plan I had at the minute.

"Ageing potion. " stated George as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"But really do you think the judge will be fooled by that?" I asked.

"Why not I mean Fred and I only need to age ourselves by a few months."

"It's worth a shot." Shrugged Fred.

"I suppose." I shrugged looking at my feet. "Well I'm heading to bed here night." I said quickly rushing up the stairs. 'This is ridiculous' I thought to myself. 'He's one of my best friends I don't like him I don't like him!' I knew it was lies but I didn't want to admit that I was falling for my best friend…


	19. Messed up chances

**Disclaimer...I own nothing except OCs**

As I had predicted Fifth year was looking to be a bitch. Between trying to prevent myself day dreaming about ways in which I could tell Fred how I felt without simultaneously ruining our friendship and the teachers giving us lectures about OWLs and giving us mountains of homework every night. In no time at all it was Halloween and we were to be joined by the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang that evening.

Everybody then got a shock when Victor Krum turned up there was excited whispers coming from all around me. Especially from a couple of over excited girls behind me. "It's Victor Krum! Do I look alright? Is my makeup ok."

"Give me strength." I muttered. Amanda started to giggle beside me.

Halloween day was amazing! First thing that morning Fred and George had taken the ageing potion to enter their names into the cup. As I had to do some essay for Snape I never saw how that went until later that day.

I was walking around the lake with Amanda (the essay plan was quickly dismissed) talking about a theory I had that the giant squid in the lake was really a pet that Hagrid was going to use to take over the world. When Lee came running over to us.

"Charlie, Amanda you've gotta come to the hospital wing!" Said Lee with a enormous grin on his face and tears of laughter in his eyes.

As we got to the hospital wing I seen why he'd been laughing so hard. Amanda and I both burst out laughing at the sight of Fred and George with beards! "Quit it!" moaned Fred and George. It was just so funny though that I couldn't I sat and laughed at them for ten minutes straight until Madam Pomfrey got rid of their beards.

"I'm sorry but it was just too funny not to laugh!" I said later that night when we were in the common room discussing how Harry Potter had managed to deceive the cup.

"Think it's funny do you!" grinned Fred looking at me mischievously. The next thing I know he's on top of me tickling me like crazy I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe. He continued to tickle me until we both rolled of the couch. I was lying on the floor gasping for breath and Fred was hovering over me with that strand of hair in his eye and that grin on his face that I adored. He was still hovering above me but some force seemed to be pulling me closer to him we were moving closer. Our faces were so close they were almost touching when the common room door opened. George had returned from the bathroom. Beautiful…


	20. Crushed

**Disclaimer...once agian I own nothing except the OCs...**

A few weeks had passed since Fred and I had nearly kissed. Neither of us had spoken about it since. Any conversation we had was light and superficial. It was killing me. A week or two after the first task. Which was one of the most terrifying things I had ever seen! When the dragon had burnt Diggory a bit I jumped and in shock, without realising what I was doing hid my face in Fred's arm. He looked down at me grinning and I grinned back and once again we were caught up in our gaze which we maintained until there was a deafening roar from the crowd when Diggory captured his egg. A weeks or two later the situation was made all the worse when McGonagall announced to us in Transfiguration that there was going to be a 'Yule Ball' on Christmas Eve. "You're kidding me." I muttered banging my head of the table, luckily I sit at the back of the room so nobody paid much attention to me.

"Did you get the news from McGonagall as well?" George asked as he seen my stony face at lunch.

"Yep." I said through barred teeth. "This is unbelievable!"

"It's going to be ridiculous!"

"I don't know." Fred said looking round to me and George. "It could be an alright night."

"What!" George and I said simultaneously. Fred just grinned.

Over the next few weeks every girl in the castle turned into an over excited bunch of hyenas. They were all grouped together and giggled every time a boy walked past. Luckily Amanda and I seemed to be immune to this disease. However, Amanda seemed to have problems of her own.

"Hey Charlie can I talk to you?" She asked one day at lunch as we were wandering the corridors.

"Yeah sure. What's up?"

"Can we go in here?" She asked pointing to an empty class room. We walked in.

"Are you ok?" I asked, exceptionally worried for her.

"I was just wandering if…" she looked away and looked back to me again several times, loosing the courage each time to say what she wanted. "I was just wandering if you…wa-wanted to g-g-go to the ball… with m-me." she finished eventually, leaving me in shock.

"As friends?" I asked blankly. I honestly had no idea what else to say.

"If that's how you feel yeah." She looked dejected.

"Do you feel differently?" I asked. Realising how stupid I sounded in my head.

"I kind of like you as more than a friend." she muttered.

"Oh."

"I understand. I've known for a while that I'm gay. I always knew you weren't but I hoped that maybe…" I looked up, she had tears welling up in her eyes.

"Amanda." I said trying to give her the most comforting hug I could. "I love you to bits as a friend. You're my best friend. It's just that I like guys, but that isn't going to stop us going to the ball together as friends, is it?" I asked.

"Yes it is." she looked up at me. "As you're best friend I am determined to get you to go with who you want. This is the Yule Ball, we'll not be here when it next happens so it's only fair you get the night you want."

"What about you?"

"Never mind that." She retorted. "Now who do you want to go with?" I looked at her in amazement.

"Nobody." I replied. She sighed and we both walked out of the room. However, she found out soon after as we both walked in to the common room later that night and we heard Fred shouting across the room.

"Angelina will you go to the ball with me?" I stood at the entrance of the common room door in shock. Amanda looked round at me.

"Yeah ok then." I heard her smug voice reply. I turned and ran to the nearest empty class room I could find.

I'd been sitting in the dark for a while when I heard Amanda come in. "So Fred huh?" She asked.

"Yeah." I replied after a while.

"That Angelina's a bitch isn't she? She's not even that pretty and you can trust my judgement." I grinned. She walked over and put her arm around me. "Fred's an idiot."

"It doesn't matter anyway. What hope did I have really?"

"You had every hope you idiot. It's not your fault if Fred goes for the girl who's throwing herself at him rather than waiting for the one who's actually worth it."

"Thanks." I smiled.

"Not at all. Now dry your eyes and let's try and find you a partner for this dance."

"What about you though I feel awful, you've told me this big secret about you and the whole focus is on me, I'm such a selfish prat."

"No you're not!" She said looking me dead in the eye. "You are one of the least selfish people I know. I'm grand we don't need to talk about me. Besides I'm going with George to the Yule Ball."

"What?"

"Yeah, he asked me before I went to go after you he saw me come in to the common room, he didn't see you leave. He asked me if I was going with anyone I said no and then he asked me if I'd like to go with him as friends, so I said yes."

"That's awesome." I beamed being remarkably cheered up by this news.

"It's good yes but you, we've got to get you someone who's worthy of you." she grinned. It was amazing how selfless she was…


	21. Time

**Sorry this is a short one...just trying to be dramatic you know duhduhduh!! will they won't they? Oh the suspense =p...sorry I'm currently very sleepy and don't know what I'm writing...**

**Oh yes this pointless disclaimer I obviously own nothing except the OCs!**

By the time the Yule Ball came I was too annoyed to actually get hyped up about it. If I got asked once more what colour my dress was, who I was going with, what way I was doing my hair. Someone was going to die.

I ended up going alone. I already had the dress, the purple dress nan had bought me a few years before hand, I now fitted into it perfectly. As for my hair, it was naturally curly so I decided to tie it up and straighten my fringe.

After opening the presents on Christmas day I spent most of the rest of it getting ready as did most of the girls. I did my hair first which took a while then I put on the slightest bit of make up and then the dress. Then it was time…


	22. The Yule Ball

**hello =]**

**Once again, I own nothing except the Oc's and if anyone is looking for some good music may I suggest 'Lifehouse - First Time**'

I reached the bottom of the stairs in the common room and seen Amanda and George beside Fred who had his arm wrapped around Angelina's waist. I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I steeled myself and walked over to them.

"Charlie you look amazing!" Cried Amanda turning around before I reached them. Amanda looked incredible with her dark brown hair down and wavy with a beautiful emerald green dress.

"Thank you. You look stunning." I exclaimed. Fred and George looked exceedingly handsome in their dress robs as well. They both wolf whistled as I approached. "Shut up you two." I blushed. "Angelina you look pretty." I smiled. I didn't want to be petty and say that she looked as bitter as the lemon coloured dress she was wearing, she did, but that may have just created an uncomfortable tension throughout the evening. "Thank you." she said giving me a false smile.

"Right shall we go." Said George quickly putting his hand on my shoulder and steering me towards the door so I was first out. When we got into the great hall which was beautifully decorated with trees and ice sculptures everywhere, it was breathtaking, the light hitting of the ice to create a spectrum of light and the smell of the fresh pine. We walked over and sat at the table and had our food which was delicious, especially as I hadn't eaten anything all day. After the dinner there was the dancing which I had not intended on participating in. However I danced with Amanda and George for ages. Fred was busy with Angelina. After a while I wanted to get some air.

When I got outside I went for a walk to try and keep warm because it was freezing and the shawl I had wasn't exactly a thermal one. I was walking about for a while in the snow and was looking up at the sky and the stars I could see where there wasn't clouds in the night sky. "Hey Charlie wait up!" I heard a familiar voice call from behind me, I turned around, it was Fred. "Hello." He smiled when he caught up with me.

"Hey." I smiled back, shivering.

"You must be freezing here, put this on." He said taking of the robe of his dress robe and putting it around me. It smelt so good and felt so warm I grasped it tighter. "You having a good night then?" He asked as we walked down towards the lake.

"Yeah it's been amazing!" I replied. It had been, the dancing with George and Amanda was fantastic fun and I had truly enjoying myself. "What about you?" I asked looking up at him. He looked so handsome in his outfit and with the snow falling on his hair and the moon light lighting him up, he looked even more so. It was heartbreaking.

"Yeah I was up until about ten minutes ago." He said looking back at me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well I realised that I never got to dace with one of my best friends, so I had to find her and put it right."

"Oh." was all I could muster as I was currently too busy trying to suppress a smile. "I'll be back in in a minute," I grinned. He smiled giving me a hug before turning to walk away but before he turned to walk away he turned back again.

"Charlie can I ask you something?" He asked.

"Yeah sure."

"George and I have been trying to understand why you didn't go with anyone to the Ball? I mean, you're an amazing person and beautiful so why?" he looked at me, his eyes staring intensely at me.

"I dunno really." I mumbled. "Nobody asked me and I was too shy to actually ask anyone. Plus I'm not 'beautiful' " I said looking at the ground, blushing and rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. All of a sudden I felt Fred tilt my head up and press his lips to mine…


	23. Abandoned

**I OWN NOTHING!!**

**...except the Oc's =] **

**Want to say thank you to anyone had favoured this or left a comment about it means alot so thank you ^^**

We stood there in our embrace for several minutes before we heard someone shouting. "Fred! Fred Where are you?" It was Angelina. We stopped kissing and steped away from each other.

"Over here." He called out in a voice that didn't seem like his, like he was in shock.

"Oh there you are." she said as she came round the corner. "Where've you been."

"Just getting some air."

"You coming back in?" she asked.

"Yep." He said turning away and walking, turning and looking at me, opening his mouth as if to say something, but giving up. Then he turned and walked away. I stood there in disbelief, my chest hurt unbearably, I couldn't breathe. I clenched my chest and slid down against the tree beginning to cry the cold winter air enveloping me making me shiver to the point I was physically shaking. Why was I so pathetic? I sat there in this ball of self pity until Amanda came and found me.

"Charlie!" she cried and came running towards me. "What happened?"

I clenched Fred's jacket tighter around me and between sobs and self loathing I explained to Amanda what happened. "That bastard!" she growled. "Come on we'll go up to the dorm. I can't believe he would do that!" she muttered angrily.

When we got to the dorm I thanked Amanda for being such an amazing friend and told her to go back to the ball and have a great time with George. "Are you sure?" she asked looking at me worriedly.

"Yes I'm sure go on and have a great time." I smiled half heartedly drying my eyes. At that she turned and left. I got changed into an oversized jumper and track bottoms and climbed into bed. And although I've cried a lot in my life, tonight was the first time I ever cried myself to sleep…


	24. Resolutions

**I own nothing except OC's =]**

**Any Gary Oldman fans amy I recommend a film called 'State of Grace' it is amazing**

**Also any David Thewlis Fans 'Inner life of Martin Frost' weird but very cute at the end ^^**

**anywho on with the story:**

The aftermath...

I woke up early the next morning, not that I slept much that night. I went down the stairs early in the morning and curled up on the couch. Shortly after I heard someone come down the stairs.

"Charlie?" came the last voice I wanted to hear at that moment. I decided I may as well deal with this now.

"Yes." I said uncurling myself and looking up over the couch. He was standing behind the couch in a baggy T-shirt and track bottoms, his hair was sticking up at various angles and his eyes were puffy with sleep.

"Can we talk?" He asked running his hand through his hair and yawning. I nodded. He walked round the side of the couch and sat down beside me. He looked at me straight in the eyes. "I'm so sorry." he stated. "I should of stayed with you and explained, but I was so shocked by what happened I wasn't thinking straight."

"I get that," I explained. I had came to that conclusion during my stupor on the couch but what I didn't understand was why, what happened before that did. "What I don't get is…why …we… you know…"

"Kissed in the first place." he stated finishing my sentence. I nodded again. "That's what I don't get myself." he admitted. I lowered my head. "It's not that I regret it, or that I'm going out with Angelina or anything." he added quickly. "It's just that you're one of my closest friends and I really don't want to jeopardise our friendship." he said

"Neither do I," I admitted. We sat there in silence for a while. "So where does this leave us then?" I asked eventually.

"I think we should stay friends." He confessed after another few minutes of silence. "I mean if we did start going out and it ended badly, I mean neither of us would want to talk to each other again and that would put George in an awkward position I mean he's also one of your best friends and he's my brother. What do you think?" I didn't know what to say, yes I wanted to be friends but here I had in front of me the opportunity I had been looking for since September to tell him how I felt.

"I…" Words were not coming to me I was struggling to articulate words. "Yeah…we should be friends." I finished feebly. "It's like you said, it's better for our friendship." "Yeah." He smiled. "Hey it's half nine, do you think there'd be any breakfast out yet?"

"I don't know. Do you want to go down and see?" I suggested getting up of the couch and heading towards the door.

"Definitely, I'm starving!" He grinned.

We headed down to the hall turns out there was breakfast and only a few people in the Great hall. Fred and I were the only ones at the Gryffindor table. We spent most of breakfast talking about the Ball andFrd filled me in on Ron and Hermionie's fight after it. "It's so stupid!" He laughed buttering a slice of toast. "They can't even see that they like each other when it's so obvious to everyone else." I was astonished that regarding our situation he could be so obtuse but yet, so acute to that of other people's. I grinned and nodded. I guess this was how it was going to be, great…


	25. Coward

**BEWARE ANGST!**

**I own nothing except the Oc's**

The next month or so flew by OWL's drew closer and Fred and I continued to be friends. I was coping better with it than I expected, I hadn't told Amanda about the Yule Ball incident, I was not annoying her with trivial shit like that. She had been there for me and I decided it was time to repay the favour. We spent hours talking about her issues, alone obviously, she didn't want anyone else to know about it yet. She was grateful for it. She told me it was something she's been struggling with for about three years. Turns out I was her first crush. "You were so cute." she blushed. "I imagine I dealt with it in pretty much the same way you dealt with Fred, imagining scenarios in which I could tell you I liked you and you would reciprocate those feelings and everything would be great."

"Yep, that's pretty much how it's done." I laughed. It felt great to be helping out a friend, amongst other things it took my mind of my own issues.

My own issues remained pretty much dormant until the second task. After Harry had gained full marks in the task putting him in first place with Cedric Diggory, the twins decided that this merited a party. The three of us sneaked into Hogesmade and got the supplies. On our way back we nearly got caught twice. The first time we were coming out from behind the statue when we saw someone coming up the corridor. We had just managed to get the statue closed over when we seen Snape walk by. "That was close." muttered Fred. The second time we were walking up the corridor when we heard Filch approaching and talking to Mrs Norris. We weren't technically doing anything wrong by being out on the corridor, but we were each carrying three bags which were laden with sweets and drinks and if Filch caught us we were in serious trouble!

"Run for it!" I whispered to the twins, and we sprinted until we got to the common room.

Later that night when the party had died down and most people had went to bed. I sat down on the couch. George joined me shortly afterwards with a butter beer. "Hey." he smiled. "How's it going?"

"Not to bad." I smiled. "Still can't believe how close we were to getting caught earlier though!"

"I know!" He laughed. "Could you imagine what would of happened if we'd of been caught!"

"Filch would have had our internals for trophies!" said Fred leaping over the couch to land between George and me.

"Too right!" I grinned.

"George come 'ere I want to show you something!" called Lee across the common room.

"Fear not m'lady for I shall return." said George dramatically getting up of the couch and bowing to me before heading over to Lee.

"How'd you enjoy the party?" Fred asked after we'd stopped laughing.

"It was awesome." I grinned sipping on my butter beer. "Hey what time is it?"

"It's one in the morning." He replied looking at his watch.

"Oh wow, I've officially been 16 for an hour then." I grinned.

"That's right! Happy birthday." He smiled. "Wait there one second. George come here!" He called but George and Lee had left the common room. "Never mind then!" Muttered Fred turning on his heel and running upstairs returning a few seconds later with a wrapped parcel. "Happy birthday." he smiled handing me the package.

"Thank you!" I said hugging him. "You didn't have to!"

"It's from George and me sorry it's not much but you know…" he trailed of.

I gasped as I opened the present. It was a silver charm bracelet with loads of little charms of different colours hanging from it. "It's beautiful. Thank you." I smiled hugging him. Then as we were coming out of the hug our eyes met and that powerful urge that had been present any time we were this intimate resurfaced and within seconds we were locked in a passionate embrace. As we feel deeper into the embrace we switched positions so that we were lying rather than sitting on the couch. I ran my fingers through Fred's hair, he then proceeded to run his hand sensually across my stomach, causing me to moan into his lips. At this Fred unravelled himself from me and sat up straight.

"That shouldn't of happened." he stated after a few minutes. He removed his head in his hands and looked up slowly at me.

"Why not." I replied trying my best to keep my voice calm, my fists clenched into a ball on my lap, tears streaming quietly down my face.

"We're friend-"

"Who obviously have stronger feelings than friendship if we keep going through this." I retorted, my voice loosing some of it's clam. Once maybe you could put that down to getting carried away but not twice and not as passionately as a moment ago.

"Listen Charlie," He said quietly, putting his hand on my wrist. "You're my best friend-"

"And you're a coward!" I shouted, loosing my cool altogether standing up, pulling my hand away from his. "You won't even take a chance on something serious that could be great because you're too afraid it could go wrong! Yet when it's a prank you're the first to go for it!"

"There's a big difference!" he said taking my hand and pulling me back onto the couch again, trying to calm me down, however, it just infuriated me more.

"There isn't really!" I snapped. "Both have risks and rewards you weigh them up to see if it's worth it. You obviously think what we could have isn't worth it. " It was only then I realised this. He just wanted to be friends I obviously couldn't handle being just friends any longer. "I can't do this." I said in a defeated tone. I handed him back the bracelet before getting up and walking towards the dormitory.

"Charlie!" He called after me. I didn't respond…


End file.
